


Atticus and the Throne of Atlantis

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 07:41:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17300561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: Atticus going through a rebellious phase such as smoking, drinking, and his grades in school are even slipping. This worries everyone, and it's because his birthday is coming up, and he wonders what the point of his life is and wonders about the family he never knew about, and when a new member of the Justice League is about, he goes on a self-discovery journey in this adventure.





	1. Chapter 1

Cherry was reading a book in her room until she looked up.

"Have you seen Atticus?" Diana asked her. "We have some work to do."

"Now?" Cherry replied.

"Yes, now." Diana said.

"He's probably out with his friends; although the group he's made friends with are not exactly ones that are good kind." Cherry said.

"Well, go get him, we gotta go." Diana told her.

"All right, all right..." Cherry said as she put her book away and then went to go and get Atticus. She soon got on her bike and started to make her way to where Atticus would be and where the reason why she was with Diana was because she would usually have visits with her.

"This is nice..." Atticus smiled as he relaxed with his new friends.

"Atticus?!" Cherry's voice called out. "You get your butt over here before I kick it to the moon!"

"Is that Cherry?" One of Atticus's new friends asked as he opened a can of beer before drinking it.

"Oh... Yeah..." Atticus replied before smiling bashfully. "Hey, Cher, sup?"

"You know what's 'sup'!" Cherry said to him before looking over to the guys Atticus was hanging around and groaned. "Ugh... It smells like a bar over here."

"Ah, that's your opinion." Atticus second new friend said as he puffed out some smoke.

Cherry blinked and coughed from the smoke before covering her mouth as she hated the smell right away. "Okay, Atticus, we gotta go." she then said.

"Right now?" Atticus asked.

"Yes!" Cherry wheezed before coughing. "Come on!"

"Oh, relax, it's not like he's got somewhere to be," Atticus's third new friend scoffed. "Right, Atticus?"

"Is it really that important?" Atticus asked Cherry.

"Argh... Get over here!" Cherry groaned, trying to pull him by his arm.

"Hey! Who are you his girlfriend or something?" Atticus's first new friend smirked.

"What?! No!" Cherry told him as she let go of Atticus's arm.

"Then you can't control him." Atticus's second new friend said as he tossed Atticus a cigarette and a lighter.

Atticus took the cigarette and lighter.

"Atticus, I swear, if you put that in your mouth..." Cherry began to shake. "Atticus... No! You're a smart boy!"

Unfortunately for her, Atticus put the cigarette in his mouth and soon lit it with the lighter, and where she knew what she had to do and who to tell this to.

"ATTICUS!" Cherry snapped.

"Oh, so she's not your girlfriend, she's your mother." One of Atticus's friends laughed.

Cherry soon reached to Atticus, trying to get the cigarette and lighter away from him. "Come on, you stupid-!"

"Will you just leave me alone?!" Atticus snapped. "If I wanna smoke then I'll smoke, it's my life."

"Smoking is stupid!" Cherry told him.

"You're stupid!" Atticus retorted. "Now just go and stop bothering us."

Cherry glared before leaving so she would make a call to a certain person that wouldn't be too happy with Atticus. Atticus nodded sharply before going back to his friends.

"Oh, you are so dead..." Cherry glared as she came to a far off corner and dialed a number.

After some rings, Cherry soon got an answer.

'Hello?' Clark's voice spoke.

"Clark, I hate to bug you, but Atticus is being a little jerk." Cherry said to him.

'You found him? I've been waiting for him to get back home for hours now.' Clark told her.

"Yeah, well, he's doing something that you're not exactly going to like." Cherry said.

'How bad can it be?' Clark asked.

"He's smoking, and there might be drinking involved." Cherry replied.

'WHAT?!' Clark yelped from the other line. 'ARE YOU SURE?!'

"Trust me, he is," Cherry replied. She soon heard the dial tone as Clark had slammed his phone, ending the phone call out of anger after hearing this. "Uh... Hello?" she said. "Clark...?"

Atticus laughed to his new friends as he seemed to have more fun with them than he had in a while with anyone else. "This is the life, you guys," He smiled. "Nothing, and I mean nothing could ruin this for us."

"And such a good thing Superman doesn't know that we're doing this or else the police would be sending us to our parents." Atticus's third new friend smirked.

"Heh... Yeah..." Atticus smirked back with a small shrug.

"Oh, Atticus, you are way too smart to hang around a bunch of goons like this." Cherry frowned.

"Oh, look, guys, Miss 'I-Think-This-is-Stupid' is back." Atticus's second new friend smirked.

Cherry growled slightly.

"Cherry, why don't you go home?" Atticus suggested.

"You are screwed." Cherry replied.

"Oh, please; what did you do, call the police on us?" Atticus's first new friend smirked.

"Nope." Cherry replied.

Clark soon stormed over, looking a bit angered as he came to take Atticus home.

"Dad?!" Atticus gasped which caused his cigarette to drop to the floor.

"Atticus, there you are," Clark said. "Do you know how worried I've been?"

"I doubt it," Cherry replied. "The smoke's probably rotting his brain as we speak!"

"You seriously called my dad?!" Atticus glared at Cherry.

"And I informed the police about your friends." Clark told him.

"What?!" Atticus's new friends asked.

"Atticus, I'm very disappointed." Clark told his foster son.

The police soon arrived and where they came in to take away Atticus's new friends. Clark crossed his arms as the boys were taken away.

"You little squealer." One of them glared at Cherry.

"Atticus, you're not actually going to let these posers get away with this, are ya?" Atticus's second new friend asked.

Atticus didn't say anything as he stared at the ground.

"Home. Now," Clark firmly told Atticus. "We'll discus your punishment at home."

Atticus just sighed while glaring to Cherry.

"What?" Cherry asked.

"This is all your fault," Atticus glared. "Now I'm in trouble."

Atticus was soon taken home and when they got home, Atticus was about to go up to his room. Cherry followed in after since she was visiting.

"Atticus, we're not done here." Clark told him.

"I am!" Atticus replied.

"Atticus, we need to talk!" Clark told him as he firmly grabbed his adopted son's right wrist.

"Let go of me!" Atticus cried out. "Let go!"

"Atticus, we are not done yet." Clark told him as he was firmly taking him to the living room.

Atticus grunted, but fell as he was dragged to the living room. Cherry watched them go.

"Perhaps you should go to the guest room now." Diana said to Cherry.

"That might be a smart thing to do." Cherry said as she went to the guest room.

Diana nodded.

"Atticus, what has gotten into you?" Clark asked as he sat Atticus down on the couch as the boy crossed his arms, looking pissed off. "This isn't like you. You're out late, you were smoking and drinking with hooligans... Thank goodness Cherry called after we asked her to come and get you."

"Oh, come on, it's not like I was late for anything important." Atticus scoffed.

"That's no excuse!" Clark replied. "You missed your curfew! I don't know where this attitude came from, but frankly, I don't like it."

"Well, sorry if I'm not the perfect son." Atticus told him firmly before a report card slipped out his sleeve as it landed on the ground.

"I didn't say that..." Clark sighed before looking down. "What's that?"

"Nothing!" Atticus said.

Clark soon took it before Atticus could to see it was his report card. Atticus soon tried to get it back before his adoptive dad would see his grades.

Clark took a look for himself. "Your grades are slipping..." he then said. "Atticus, this really isn't like you."

"Yeah, well, sorry," Atticus snorted a bit. "Who needs school anyway when I'm just gonna be in the Justice League with you and the others?"

"Not with that attitude," Clark told him. "And until you get your grades back up, you are not allowed to go out patrolling without me and no going out with any friends because we are going to make sure you study every single night and day."

"That's completely unfair!" Atticus glared as he stood up.

"I'm sorry, Atticus, but this hurts me more than it does you." Clark replied.

"Oh, bullshit!" Atticus glared.

Cherry cupped her mouth as she had never heard Atticus curse before.

"W-What did you just say?" Clark demanded.

"You heard me, O Mighty Man of Steel!" Atticus glared.

"Atticus!" Clark glared back. "I don't know what's come over you... Go to your room!"

"Fine by me!" Atticus replied before storming up to his room.

"Well, well, well..." Cherry commented. "Who knew that Atticus would have the 'nads to stand up to Superman?"

They soon heard Atticus's door being slammed super hard.

"Never knew he'd have the balls to do that." Cherry said.

"CHERRY! WILL YOU GO AWAY, PLEASE?!" Atticus snarled from his room.

"Um, maybe I should go now; besides, my parents must be worried." Cherry said.

Atticus grumbled as he crossed his arms and sat in front of his door, feeling frustrated and agitated. Cherry soon walked out the front door and looked up to Atticus's bedroom window. Atticus glared from his window, seeing her, and soon gave her his middle finger. She was surprised by this before seeing him closing his curtains. Atticus soon went to his bed and collapsed onto it, screaming into his pillow which muffled his screaming, and where during his screams, crystal spikes started to show up in his room.

Clark sighed as he soon plopped on the couch, feeling exhausted about what he had to do with Atticus. He then decided turn on the TV after what had happened today had happened.

"Maybe I'll come back later." Diana said.

"Fair enough," Clark said to her. "We'll meet up with the others later. I just hope no one is hurt."

"And I just hope Atticus's crystal power doesn't go out of control." Diana said as she left.

"Me too, Diana..." Clark replied. "I'll see you later."

Diana soon left while Clark began to watch TV, feeling wore out from the argument. While he was watching TV, crystals slowly started to grow around the house. Clark sighed to that.

Atticus just sulked in his room as he felt angered and bothered about being sent to his room and looked out the window as he seemed to contemplate on running away from home. 'Maybe I should run away, besides Superman's not my real dad,' Atticus thought to himself. 'But then again he's the only one that's ever adopted me. Ugh, what do I do?!'

Cherry didn't go home, she decided to come and see Bruce.

"Chocolate milkshake, Miss Cherry?" Alfred offered as she waited in the living room for the owner of the house after he let her inside.

"Please." Cherry replied as she took it and sipped it.

After waiting for some time, Bruce soon arrived. Cherry looked up while sipping her chocolate shake.

"Cherry, I was on the phone..." Bruce said. "...Are you upset?"

Cherry didn't say anything as she sipped her shake, looking away from him which seemed to answer his question.

"I'll take that as a yes." Bruce said.

"It's Atticus..." Cherry sighed.

"What happened?" Bruce asked as he sat across from her by the fireplace.

"He's fallen in with the wrong crowd..." Cherry said. "He talks back now... He's smoking... He's drinking... His grades are going down the toilet."

"Whoa." Bruce said surprised to hear that.

"And where Clark was not happy when I told him about Atticus smoking and drinking and then was really unhappy when he saw his grades." Cherry told him.

"Atticus doesn't sound like himself." Bruce commented.

"You're telling me..." Cherry sulked as she sipped her chocolate shake in despair. She soon noticed what week it was and saw what day was coming up which wasn't a happy day for her best friend as it just reminded him about his family that he would never know.

"What is it?" Bruce asked her.

"I think I know why he's acting like a different person." Cherry said.

"Why do you think this?" Bruce asked her since she knew Atticus better than anyone.

"Because it's getting close to his birthday," Cherry said. "And where he doesn't exactly like to celebrate it."

"Atticus's birthday is coming up?" Bruce asked.

"Yes..." Cherry sighed. "He doesn't like celebrating it though because of his... Family complex."

"That's understandable." Bruce said.

"Yeah..." Cherry replied. "I guess I kinda made it worse by calling Clark on him."

"Now Cherry, you did what you had to do," Bruce told her, almost like a father figure to her, even if her parents were still alive. "Even if Atticus didn't like it, you did the right thing."

"Yeah, I guess," Cherry frowned before remembering Atticus's crystal power. "Uh-oh..."

"What is it?" Bruce asked.

Cherry gulped nervously. "Killer crystals!"

"Um...?" Bruce glanced at her. "What?"

"Okay, I don't know where they came from, but when Atticus gets angry or upset enough, these crystals show up." Cherry replied.

"Oh, right..." Bruce said with wide eyes as he remembered the last time the crystal spikes happened.

"Oh, Atticus..." Cherry sighed. "I want to help you, but I don't know what to do."

Bruce was unsure what to do at this point.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Cherry asked. "I don't feel like going home right now."

"Of course, Cherry, you know you're always welcome here." Bruce comforted.

"Thanks." Cherry said.

"Of course," Bruce replied. "Just be ready when it's time for a Justice League mission."

"But of course," Cherry said. "Of course, they may be a little awkward between Clark and Atticus."

"I can't control what happens in the town, I'm afraid." Bruce said.

Cherry nodded before she soon went with Alfred to get settled into her room of Wayne Manor as she had a lot to think about for her friend as he seemed to be going down on the wrong side of the tracks, and where what was going on in his room wasn't a pretty sight. Cherry had a hard time getting to sleep that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Atticus just stared at the wall as he laid down in his bed with a lot on his mind. And with a lot on his mind, he didn't notice the crystal spikes that were around his room.

"What am I going to do?" Atticus sighed. "What is my purpose?"

"To be my heir." Sombra's voice said.

"Huh?" Atticus asked as he sat up, looking around. "Who said that?"

"Have you already forgotten about me?" Sombra's voice asked.

Atticus looked around.

"It's me... Your favorite Uncle Sombra~" Sombra's voice chuckled.

"Uncle Sombra..." Atticus repeated.

"Ah, so you do remember me." Sombra's voice smirked.

"Of course..." Atticus sighed. "Look, I'm in a lot of trouble right now, so you might wanna get away from me."

"Now is that anyway to treat your uncle who saved your life from dying prematurely?" Sombra's voice smirked.

"Well, I am..." Atticus replied. "Clark's pretty steamed with me, and Cherry told on me."

"That girl causes nothing but trouble..." Sombra's voice replied. "You shouldn't have been friends with her in the first place. All she does is cause you trouble."

"Yeah, I guess she can cause trouble." Atticus said.

Sombra soon knew the one thing that would get Atticus to possibly join his side. Atticus soon came to the window, he didn't climb outside of it, but he stared out of it.

"It's tough not fitting in, isn't it?" Sombra's voice asked his nephew.

"You have no idea." Atticus sighed.

"Too bad we don't have a spell to go back in time to before your family died." Sombra's voice smirked.

"...What?" Atticus asked.

"I guess we could check, but what can that do, hmm?" Sombra's voice replied. "Oh, well, I guess I better just leave you alone."

"Wait! What was that about a spell?" Atticus asked.

Sombra hid a small smirk as that was exactly what he wanted. "Well... It's a spell that can take you back in time~..." he then informed. "You could see the family you once had."

"And p-possibly save them from dying?" Atticus smiled.

"You know what? With that spell, you probably could." Sombra smirked as he appeared.

Atticus flinched from the bright light, but looked over to his uncle.

"Depends on how bad you want it though." Sombra teased.

Atticus frowned as he did love Clark as his adoptive father, but his birthday was just going to become a reminder about how his family he never knew wasn't alive to be with him. "Where can we find the spell?" He asked Sombra.

"No worries, I was hoping you'd choose wisely..." Sombra replied before taking out an ancient book.

"A book!" Atticus smiled.

"But of course," Sombra nodded. "But there's something you should know; there is a page missing and it is in Atlantis thankfully the pages are water proof."

"Atlantis, eh?" Atticus replied. "I didn't think that was a real place."

"Oh, it is, and where you can be able to get there," Sombra told him before giving him a map. "Follow this map while on you're mission today and you'll be able to find it."

Atticus took the map and looked it over as he began to look inspired and calmed down a little.

"I know you'll make the smart decisions, my boy." Sombra coaxed.

"I will." Atticus nodded.

"And I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about our little meeting." Sombra smiled.

"Um, sure, Uncle Sombra," Atticus replied. "This'll be between us. Not that anyone else would understand anyway."

"Thanks, I knew I could trust you; we are family after all." Sombra said before teleporting.

"Yeah... Family..." Atticus repeated while he held the map and watching as Sombra faded away until next time. He soon heard Clark knocking at bedroom door, and where he soon hid it behind his back as he opened the door slightly.

"Atticus, can I come in?" Clark asked.

Atticus looked down a bit before sitting on the map on his bed to hide it away. "I suppose so..." he then said with a small sigh.

Clark soon came into his adoptive son's bedroom, and where he saw what was from the crystal spikes as they had vanished once Atticus had calmed down.

"I see you've simmered down a bit." Clark said.

"Yeah, I guess I was just thinking and had to blow off some steam," Atticus shrugged. "And I'll try to, um, not to smoke or drink again."

"Mind telling me why you were smoking or drinking in the first place?" Clark asked as he sat next to him.

"Well, these guys wanted me to join them in their fun and said that they would be my friends if I didn't tell anyone." Atticus replied.

"Then they're not really your friends," Clark said. "Atticus, I never took you to be the one to give into peer pressure."

"Well, it's not exactly easy to be a star player while trying to find real friends who won't be my friend just because I'm on the football team." Atticus sighed.

"Well, what about Cherry?" Clark replied. "She's known you a long time, hasn't she?"

"...Yeah, that's true..." Atticus said. "She always helped me out before we met you and the others."

"So then why did it matter to have more friends?" Clark asked.

"Everyone at school started to think we were more than just friends and I'm meaning in the smooching way." Atticus said before shivering out of disgust.

"Smooching, huh?" Clark replied.

"I love Cherry, but not in that way." Atticus mumbled.

"Ohh, so you thought that if you had more friends, then everyone would stop thinking you two were a thing." Clark said, now understanding.

"Yeah, and where it seemed as though my choice in my new friends wasn't a smart one." Atticus said sheepishly.

"No offense, Atticus, but it was probably the dumbest thing you've ever done." Clark said with a small smirk though, ruffling up his hair as they weren't mad at each other anymore.

"And I promise I'll start getting my grades up," Atticus smiled before whispering to himself. "And hopefully I can find that missing page before my birthday."

"I like the sound of that." Clark said, not hearing the second part.

"I'm really sorry about the way I acted..." Atticus replied. "Friends?"

"No," Clark said before smiling. "Family."

Atticus smiled back, although it was softly.

"Uh, you want some ice cream or something?" Clark suggested. "I thought you could use some comfort food after the powwow we just had."

"Yeah, that sounds nice." Atticus smiled.

"All right, you wanna come down, and get some or should I bring it up?" Clark suggested.

"Um, could you bring it up?" Atticus asked.

"All right, I'll be right back," Clark said. "Vanilla, right?"

"Right." Atticus nodded.

Clark soon left the bedroom to get the ice cream. Atticus waited for him to come back before taking the map out again as he looked determined about heading for Atlantis as soon as possible.

After a short time, Clark came back with ice cream. Atticus looked over as he put the map in his desk while lying on his bed.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted whipped cream or not, so I put some on," Clark smiled. "I hope that's okay."

"That's okay." Atticus smiled back.

Clark soon gave him the bowl and spoon.

"Thanks..." Atticus smiled as he began to eat some ice cream which helped make him feel much better. "So how have things been with you and Diana?"

"Fine, thank you for asking," Clark replied. "You don't mind that we're going out, do you?"

"Not at all," Atticus said. "She's a great person."

"I just didn't want it to bother you, but... I really like her, Atticus." Clark smiled about Diana.

"I had a feeling you did when you were glaring at me when I smirked at her as I complimented how strong she was when we first met her." Atticus smirked at Clark.

"Little goofball," Clark smirked back, playfully ruffling his hair. "I'm glad you accept though."

"So when are you two going out on your date?" Atticus asked.

"Maybe later this week, we'll talk about it since you're in a better mood now," Clark said. "That is, if you promise to behave yourself a little bit better from now on and keep your grades up in school."

"I promise," Atticus said. "Although I'll try."

"See that you do," Clark replied. "I'm sure you can make some new friends too."

Atticus continued to eat the ice cream until he suddenly dropped his spoon.

"...You okay?" Clark asked.

Atticus soon cupped his mouth and ran to the bathroom, throwing up since he had been drinking a bit that night before Clark brought him home. After some time, Atticus came out of the bathroom as he wiped his mouth clean.

"I guess you can't hold your liquor." Clark teased.

"Very funny," Atticus muttered. "I'm sorry I was drinking and smoking, I don't know what came over me."

"It's alright, just don't do it again, alright?" Clark asked.

"Alright." Atticus smiled.

"Good boy..." Clark smiled back as they finished up some ice cream before it would be time for bed.

And where thanks to the ice cream, it would be easy for Atticus to sleep.

"Good night, Atticus." Clark said.

"Night..." Atticus replied with a yawn as he got into bed.

And where he was so tired that Atticus forgot about the map still in his desk. Clark soon went to get some sleep himself as Atticus slept all night long that night, but would wake up with a horrible headache. However, this would not be a good thing the next day once it would come.

Atticus woke up and groaned as he held his head, wobbling out of bed as he had dark circles under his eyes now. "Why is my head hurting so much?" He groaned as he wobbly made his way out of his room.

Clark was soon making some breakfast for him and Atticus that morning.

"Morning." Atticus replied wobbly as he wobbly made his way to breakfast.

"Morning." Clark said as he helped Atticus.

"Ugh... I feel like I just ran my head into an anvil." Atticus groaned.

"That would be a hangover." Clark told him.

"So this is what a hangover feels like." Atticus groaned.

"Eat some greasy bacon," Clark said. "It's said that it cures hangovers a bit quickly."

"Thanks," Atticus replied as he ate his breakfast. "Mm... Delicious as always, Dad."

"You're very welcome... Son." Clark smiled as he always loved it whenever Atticus called him 'Dad'. 

After eating breakfast, Atticus felt better. 

"Better?" Clark asked.

"Much," Atticus replied. "Uh... I didn't say anything stupid last night, did I?"

"Let's not worry about it too much." Clark suggested. 

"Alright." Atticus said.

Clark smiled as he soon ate his own breakfast. 

'Remember our promise.' Sombra's voice said in Atticus's mind.

'Yes, Uncle Sombra,' Atticus's voice replied in his head so not to divert Clark before he soon stood up. "Well, I better get my shower over with." He then said.

"All right, try listening to some music." Clark suggested.

"No problem," Atticus replied. "Thank you so much." 

"No problem." Clark said.

Atticus soon went to start the day with a shower as he learned a valuable lesson last night, but now found himself thinking about Atlantis and his long-lost biological family, and where he was going to find out how to find the underwater city. Clark soon cleaned up after Atticus went to take his shower. After some time, Atticus was done with his shower.

It seemed to be a normal day so far for Atticus and Clark where nothing could go wrong. 

"Seems like a normal day." Atticus smiled as he got the map out of his desk and hid it well in his coat.

"Have a good day, Atticus." Clark wished.

"I will!" Atticus replied innocently. As Atticus left the house, the calendar fell down to Clark's feet, showing what day it was.

"I better get that," Clark said as he picked up the calendar and saw what day it was today which made him gasp. "It's Atticus's birthday!" He soon began to panic as he had completely forgot about his adoptive son's birthday.

Diana soon called.

"Hey, Diana." Clark greeted.

"...Clark, are you okay?" Diana asked, sensing something wrong. "You don't sound like yourself."

"Oh, sorry, Diana," Clark frowned. "No wonder Atticus is so mad at me, I forgot that today is his birthday!"

"I'm sure that's not the reason." Diana said.

"Well, I forgot..." Clark frowned. "I can't believe I let myself forget, and we have a date coming up."

"We can move our date to tomorrow night." Diana said.

"Thank you for understanding," Clark said to her. "I just hope he'll be in a much better mood today, he seemed fine this morning."

"He'll probably be in a good mood." Diana smiled.

"So far so good," Clark smiled back. "I'm sure I can get him something special as long as he stays away from those so-called new friends."

"And after last night, I'm sure he will." Diana smiled back.

"Thanks, you're the best." Clark smiled.

"I know I am," Diana playfully giggled. "Anyway, I'll let you get to getting everything ready; which for you, won't be a problem, being the Man of Steel and all."

"Oh, you can count on that," Clark chuckled. "I'll talk to you later."

"Much later, bye for now." Diana smiled before they hung up on each other.

Clark soon took off at super-speed to get everything ready for Atticus's birthday.


	3. Chapter 3

Atticus held his bag as he came into school for the day and smiled once he sat in his desk before class started. He soon saw Cherry coming in next. Cherry glanced at him.

"Cherry," Atticus said as he soon came out of his desk. "I'm so sorry about last night."

"Well, what you did was kind of stupid last night, but after remembering what today is; I now understand why you were acting up." Cherry said.

"Can you forgive me?" Atticus begged.

"Maybe." Cherry shrugged.

"What do I have to do?" Atticus asked.

Cherry looked around before whispering to him. "Help me with Math?"

"Deal." Atticus smiled.

"That is... If you can keep up with your grades..." Cherry then said about his behavior lately.

"I'll try my best." Atticus said.

"See that you do..." Cherry said. "By the way..."

"Yeah?" Atticus replied.

"Happy Birthday." Cherry said, holding out a bag for him.

"Thanks." Atticus said as he accepted the bag.

Cherry then went to sit in her own desk. Atticus opened up the bag to see a brownie wrapped up in plastic with a journal that came with its own pen inside. Atticus smiled as he was happy to have Cherry as his friend. Cherry soon began to read her own book until class would start which would take a matter of minutes.

The bell soon rang, and everyone looked up to the front of the board as the teacher came in to go over class with them, and where Atticus was going to make sure that he would stay focused. A boy chuckled as he took out a straw and got ready to shoot a spitwad at the teacher.

"Shoot a spitwad at me and it's detention." The teacher said without looking.

The student gulped nervously before coughing a bit since he swallowed the spitwad he was about to spit out.

"That's what I thought." The teacher nodded.

Everyone then continued to focus on the lesson, though Atticus seemed to have Atlantis on his mind from what his Uncle Sombra told him last night.

"Ahem, Mr. Kent?" The teacher spoke up.

"Yes, sir?" Atticus replied then like he just woke up from a daydream.

"Would you care to read the following the chapter we are on?" The teacher asked.

"Um... Of course, sir..." Atticus replied as he took a look at his book. 

The teacher nodded and soon sat behind his desk with his own book while every other student had their books out. "And you wake up in the back, Mr. Moltenscar!" he then called out to a bigger boy who seemed older than the other students because he was big for his age.

"Okay, just put the hay in the apple and then eat the candle, hmm?" The boy smiled sheepishly as he woke up which made almost all of the other students laugh at him.

"That boy sometimes..." The teacher groaned.

Atticus sighed himself and soon began to read aloud, trying not to yawn.

"Very good." The teacher nodded.

Atticus continued to read until his time was up. The sleeping boy soon wrote a note under his desk and asked the others to pass it to Cherry for him. The note soon arrived next to Cherry. 

Cherry soon opened the note which said 'Will you be the jelly to my peanut butter sandwich?'. "No thanks, I don't like peanut butter." she then muttered as she balled up the paper note to toss it in the trash as she seemed to not understand that was supposed to be a pick-up line, and where this caused the sleeping boy to look disappointed.

Atticus soon finished reading and then sat down.

"Very good, Mr. Kent," The teacher told Atticus once he did as told. "I'm very impressed that you did as you were told this time."

Atticus nodded his head once.

"Now then, who's next?" The teacher asked, looking around to his students.

Atticus soon let out a yawn, unable to hold it in any longer.

"You okay?" The student behind him whispered.

"Oh, I'll be all right, I just had a long night." Atticus whispered back with a small smile.

"That explains the yawning." The student whispered back.

Atticus nodded while looking back. The teacher glanced over, but then looked back in his book as he thought he heard whispering.

Soon enough, it was after class.

"Look, I'm sorry for telling Clark about last night, but you were worrying us." Cherry said to Atticus in the hallway.

"It's alright, I did act pretty dumb." Atticus replied.

"Atticus, it had to be the stupidest thing you've ever done," Cherry said. "What's gotten into you?"

"Well, I was just not entirely happy with it being my birthday and it being a reminder of the family I'll never get to know." Atticus said, without including a way to stop his family's death.

"...I'm sorry..." Cherry said softly once he brought that up. "I guess I didn't think about that."

"It's alright..." Atticus replied.

"Um... Uh... Hey, why don't you come over?" Cherry suggested. "I'm sure Mom and Dad would like to see you on your special day."

"I'd like that," Atticus smiled. "I better tell Dad though."

"Fair enough." Cherry replied.

"By the way, what did that note say?" Atticus asked.

"Something about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." Cherry said before sticking her tongue out in disgust.

"Weird." Atticus said.

"Tell me about it," Cherry replied. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks." Atticus said before opening his present from Cherry.

Cherry gave a small smile as Atticus was given his own private journal. "I thought maybe you'd like to write down your feelings..." She said. "Boy, do I sound like a therapist or what?"

"And I appreciate it." Atticus smiled.

"So, you think anything exciting will happen?" Cherry asked.

Some boys seemed to smirk as Cherry and Atticus bonded, making fun of them for hanging out since they were a boy and a girl.

"We're not a couple!" Cherry glared at the boys.

"Suuure..." One boy smirked. "You're hanging around all the time."

"Leave my sister alone!" Atticus yelled out before cupping his mouth. "Oh! Cherry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay," Cherry said as she didn't seem to mind. "Besides, I think of you as a brother."

"Really?" Atticus smiled.

"Yeah, you're annoying sometimes, but I really love you," Cherry said. "If that's not sibling love, I don't know what is."

"Yeah, you're right." Atticus smiled.

"Should we do lunch today then or are you too good for me?" Cherry asked.

"We should do lunch." Atticus smiled.

"All right, fair enough, I'll see you later then." Cherry said as she went to her other class which she didn't have with him that time.

Atticus smiled as he was sure things would be back to normal from there.

The sleeping boy from earlier seemed to sigh at his locker.

Atticus frowned and decided to go see him. "Hey, you're Thornton, right?"

"Yeah, that's me..." The boy said with a soft sigh, feeling depressed.

"What's wrong?" Atticus asked.

"Oh... Nothing much, I guess..." Thor shrugged, though he sounded bored and sad. "I guess I'm just gonna be spending another Friday night at home with my parents since no one wants to hang out with me. I don't know why people won't be my friend."

"Seriously? You seriously don't know?" One of Atticus's former new friends smirked.

Thor looked over and then stared down at the floor.

"Thor, you're so retarded." The other boy smirked.

"I am not!" Thor frowned.

"Yes, you are, and let's not forget about your size." The third boy smirked.

"What's wrong with my size?" Thor frowned.

Atticus began to get angry at his so-called new friends for bullying Thor like that.

"Oh, nothing if you like someone that's a human giant." The first bully smirked.

"My mom said I had a growth spurt, that's all." Thor pouted as that seemed to hurt him and he was even trying not to cry.

"Oh, please," The second bully smirked. "Your mom lied."

"Hey!" Atticus glared.

The three bullies soon looked over.

"Why don't you leave him alone?" Atticus glared.

"Why should we?" The third bully asked.

"Okay, so Thor is big and he isn't the smartest kid in class, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings." Atticus glared.

"Oh, this from the guy that didn't do a thing when the cops came?" The second bully asked.

"I don't know why I wasted my time trying to be friends with you jerks." Atticus glared.

Thor soon saw a teacher coming, and where for once, he had a smart idea what to do.

"Look, guys, why don't you just leave the poor guy alone?" Atticus asked, referring to Thor. "He can't help it, and I bet he's a cool guy to hang out with." 

"You gonna make us?" The first bully scoffed.

"I bet you take steroids; that's how you're the star player." The second bully smirked at Atticus.

"Shut up." Atticus growled quietly.

"Oh, what was that, cheater?" The third bully smirked.

"I'm not a cheater," Atticus glared. "Please, just go away, all of you."

"Is there a problem here?" A female teacher asked.

Atticus looked over and saw the teacher.

"Hello, ma'am." The bullies smiled innocently.

"You three, I'm not surprised to see out in the halls." The female teacher told the three bullies.

"What ever do you mean?" One of the boys asked.

"You know exactly what I mean, Archie." The teacher replied.

"...My name is Bone." The boy pouted quietly.

"Anyway, why are you five out here?" The teacher asked.

"I was just walking Atticus to class, ma'am." Thor said with a small smile.

"Right, he was." Atticus added with a smile back to the bigger boy.

"And let me guess; you three were bullying them, right?" The teacher asked the three bullies.

"Were not!" The second bully glared. "We would never bully our classmates! That's against the school policy."

Both Atticus and Thor rolled their eyes to that as bullies always said stuff like that to look innocent.

"Yeah, we were just making fun of Thor's size." The third bully said idiotically.

"Hey..." Thor pouted.

"Is that right?" The teacher replied before looking to Atticus and Thor. "Boys, you better run on to class. I'll handle this."

"Yes, ma'am." Atticus and Thor said.

They soon walked off while the teacher returned her gaze on the boys. "As for you three... I think I'll see you in Saturday School."

"Dang it..." The three bullies groaned.

"Hey, uh, you didn't have to defend me," Thor said to Atticus as they walked to class. "I mean... I am kinda big and dumb."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean they have to pick on you for it." Atticus said.

"I guess..." Thor frowned. "I can't help it if I get confused easily... My mom says I'm special. She thinks it might be because I play a lot of football."

"Yeah, I noticed I always see you at the football field on Saturdays." Atticus smiled.

"It's a hobby of mine," Thor smiled back before sighing. "It helps that I don't really have any friends... It's better than hanging out around home by myself while my parents are busy or if my sister is with her babysitter."

"I can understand how it feels to not have any friends." Atticus said.

"Really?" Thor replied.

"Yeah, I didn't have any friends when I was a kid," Atticus said. "I was shy and scared, and where I never thought I'd ever make any friends."

"Ooh..." Thor frowned. 

"I guess you could say we're both alone." Atticus said.

"Yeah... It sucks..." Thor replied.

"But then one day, I did make a friend." Atticus smiled.

"You did?" Thor smiled back. "Oh, that sounds nice."

"Yeah, and I'm happy that I did." Atticus smiled to him fondly.

Hours later...

The bell rang and soon, the students were dismissed from school.

"So, who's going to be picking you up?" Atticus asked Thor.

"Usually my mom, but I dunno." Thor replied.

"As for me, my dad is picking me up." Cherry said.

"Same here with my dad." Atticus said.

"Oh! Uh, hi..." Thor smiled bashfully to Cherry.

"...Hi," Cherry blinked to him as he seemed to stare at her funny. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because~..." Thor smiled dreamily.

"Is there something on my face?" Cherry asked.

"No." Thor smiled dreamily.

"...Okay, you're starting to freak me out..." Cherry said, stepping back uncomfortably. She soon noticed Atticus smirking playfully as if he knew why Thor was smiling dreamily to her. "Get away from me!" she then yelped and hid beside her friend. "Atticus, make him stop!"

"I guess you didn't like my note." Thor said.

"Oh... The peanut butter jelly thing? ...I don't really like peanut butter." Cherry replied as she didn't sound very smart when it came to social skills.

"I guess I should have used a different metaphor." Thor sighed.

Cherry looked to Atticus, feeling confused.

"He wants to be your friend, Cherry." Atticus said.

"...Another friend?" Cherry replied.

"Yeah." Atticus smiled.

"Hmm..." Cherry paused.

Thor pouted like a sad puppy dog, sniffling a little as he wanted her to be his friend.

"Alright." Cherry shrugged.

"Yay! Group hug!" Thor beamed, hugging Cherry and Atticus tightly.

"Ooh, he's a hugger." Cherry grunted a bit.

"One thing you should know is that Cherry doesn't tend to like being touched." Atticus told Thor.

"Oh... Sorry..." Thor replied before letting go of them. "I'm a little affectionate."

"So I see..." Cherry muttered slightly before looking over, waiting for someone to come pick her up. Much to her luck, she soon saw her father coming. "Well, I better get going." Cherry soon said. 

"Awww!" Thor pouted to that.

Cherry soon got in her father's car, not wasting a second.

"So, Cherry, guess where we'll be going today?" Bud said.

"Um... Grocery store?" Cherry shrugged.

"Nope, we'll be at Atticus's house for a surprise birthday party tonight." Bud told her as they drove off.

And where no one could hear what they were saying because of the windows being rolled up.

"What?!" Cherry asked.

"See ya later, Cherry!" Atticus called out, though he wasn't sure if she could hear him or not.

"I guess I better wait for my mom." Thor said, feeling a bit lonely again.

Soon enough, another car arrived and since it wasn't Clark's vehicle, it had to be Thor's mom's car.

"Guess that's me..." Thor said as he went to go see his mother.

"Oh... Um... Okay..." Atticus replied as he didn't want to leave Thor just yet as they seemed to get along so well. "See ya later, Thor."

"See ya later." Thor said.

Atticus waved, a bit sadly, but he hoped to see Thor again really soon.

Thor soon came over to the car. "Hi, Mom."

"Hello, Thornton, how was school today?" Moxie cooed to her son as she had a kid's CD on for his little sister.

"It was nice until having to leave school." Thor said as he got in the car.

"Aw... My poor Thornton~" Moxie cooed. "Don't worry, we'll be home soon. Maybe you'd like to play with your little sister tonight?"

"Sure, Mom..." Thor sighed before smirking as he tickled his little sister in her car-seat.

"No! No! Stop!" Phoebe giggled and wiggled.

"Oh, what's that? You want me to keep going? Okay." Thor smirked as he continued.

"Stop!" Phoebe squealed and giggled.

Moxie smiled to her children, though she just wished that Thor had some friends so he wouldn't be bored home alone all the time, especially on the weekends. They soon drove off home.

Atticus whistled to himself as he waited for his own ride home from school, and where after waiting a little while, Clark soon came by vehicle. Atticus soon came inside.

"Sorry if I took a little long, Birthday Boy." Clark smiled.

Atticus soon went wide-eyed at what he heard. "Uh, what was that?" He asked.

"Uh... Sorry that I took so long?" Clark replied.

"Oh, it's alright." Atticus said out of relief.

"Come on, let's get you home." Clark smiled.

Atticus gave a small smile back as they soon rode away from school. 'Whew, for a second there I thought he said Birthday Boy.' Atticus thought to himself.

Clark wiped his forehead a bit as they rode off together. "School go okay today?" he then asked.

"Yeah, I think I made a new friend." Atticus replied.

"That's great," Clark smiled. "Wait did you make friends with the right person this time?"

"Yes, this time he wasn't like those three others." Atticus said.

"Oh, is that so?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, he seems really nice and a lot of fun," Atticus said. "He sounds lonely though."

"Sounds like you became friends with him just in time." Clark smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I did..." Atticus gave a small smile back. "Maybe I'll see him again. We do have some classes together." 

"Well, it would be nice if you had other friends besides Cherry, but I do admire your friendship with her." Clark commented.

"We've been friends ever since we were kids." Atticus smiled.

"And I admire her for that, but I think it's good to make other friends than just having the one," Clark replied. "Not saying that just being friends with Cherry is bad, it's just good to hang out with other people sometimes."

"Yeah, I know." Atticus smiled.

Clark smiled back as they began to drive back home.

'This day will be different.' Atticus thought to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

They soon came up to the house. Atticus grabbed his backpack as he came out of the car with Clark and went up to the front door.

"I have a good feeling about today." Clark told him.

"I feel pretty good about today too, Dad." Atticus smiled.

They soon arrived at the front door. Clark soon opened the door and seemed to hide.

"Huh, that's weird, it's dark in here." Atticus said before clicking on the light.

"SURPRISE!" Diana and Michelle smiled as they came out while Bud waved and Cherry dully blew a noisemaker.

And where you could hear horror music playing as Atticus went wide-eyed as he didn't want to celebrate his birthday as it was just a reminder of his family he never knew even if he would find the spell to go back in time to save them from death.

"Hey, Atticus!" Michelle smiled. "Happy Birthday!"

"Happy Birthday, Atticus." Bud added, softly, but he didn't sound as enthusiastic as his wife, though he was happy for the boy.

Cherry soon saw the expression on Atticus's face and soon knew what was going on in his mind. Atticus looked to Cherry and soon turned away.

"Uh, I think we need to go home." Cherry told her parents.

"But why...?" Michelle replied. "This is a special day!"

"It's not like he's missing anyone." Bud said.

"I'll just wait until the realization hits you." Cherry told her parents.

Bud and Michelle looked confused.

"Atticus, I'm so sorry," Cherry told her friend. "I didn't know this was going to happen. I just want you to be happy though on your birthday, no matter what happens."

"It's okay, Cherry; this day is just a reminder about the ones that I'll never get to meet." Atticus frowned.

Bud and Michelle soon realized what Cherry meant once Atticus mentioned 'the ones that he'd never get to meet'.

"Oh... He's talking about his P-A-R-E-N-T-S." Michelle said.

"It's okay, Mrs. B, I know what you mean." Atticus sighed to his best friend's mother.

"Uh, maybe we should go." Bud said to his wife and daughter.

"What was your first clue?" Cherry deadpanned.

"Oh, well, since you just mentioned Atticus might be upset, that was my guess." Bud said, not understanding his daughter's sarcasm.

"That was sarcasm, Dad." Cherry groaned.

"Was it? Huh... I never call tell with you, Cher Bear." Bud smiled innocently.

"Atticus, I'm so sorry." Cherry frowned to her best friend.

"It's okay." Atticus frowned back.

"I'm really, really sorry..." Cherry said. 

Michelle soon handed Atticus a cake she made just for him before looking emotional and bad for going through all of this trouble now.

"Thanks for the cake, Mrs. Butler." Atticus smiled softly.

"You're welcome... I made it with love... Lots and lots of love..." Michelle smiled back before sniffling and soon hugged him tightly while going through an emotional breakdown with crying.

"Aw, Mom..." Cherry sighed.

"I'll be sure it doesn't go to waste." Atticus told Michelle.

"Thank you, Atticus... Happy Birthday!" Michelle replied as she cried while hugging him tightly.

"Thanks." Atticus said.

Michelle kept hugging him while crying.

"Okay, Mom, let go!" Cherry grunted, struggling to get her mother off of her best friend.

'Oi.' Atticus thought to himself as he knew how emotional Cherry's mother could be.

Michelle soon let go of Atticus.

"Again... Sorry..." Cherry said to Atticus. "Text me if you wanna talk later though."

"Okay." Atticus replied.

Cherry patted him on the head and soon walked off.

"Atticus, I'm sorry." Clark said to his adoptive son.

"I think I'm gonna go to my room." Atticus said as he left for his bedroom.

"A-Are you sure...?" Clark asked him.

"Yeah." Atticus nodded softly.

"Okay... Um... Good night then." Clark replied.

"I'll be back down a little later." Atticus said as he went to his room.

Clark frowned as he couldn't help but blame himself for this.

Atticus soon placed his birthday cake on his desk before his eyes started to glow.

'Relax... I'm not going to hurt you... I want to show you something..' Sombra's voice told Atticus in his head.

"What's going on?" Atticus asked.

'You're going to be shown a vision.' Sombra's voice said in his head.

"Ooh..." Atticus replied as he soon blinked once and soon saw the vision he was meant to see. "I wonder what it is?"

'You'll see.' Sombra's voice said.

Atticus nodded as he found himself in a room he had never seen before. It seemed to be like a hospital. There were muffled voices heard before they grew loud and sharp as a doctor rushed a woman inside in a wheelchair as she appeared to have a big stomach from pregnancy and a man held her hand as they rushed with the doctor to go into a room as she was about to give birth.

"Is this happening now?" Atticus asked.

'Just watch.' Sombra's voice told him.

Atticus was about to get out of the way, but he seemed to phase through the doctor and the expecting couple as the woman breathed shallowly and wheezily while holding onto her stomach.

"Wait, so this isn't happening right now?" Atticus asked.

'WATCH!' Sombra told him, a bit firmly.

"Okay, okay." Atticus said.

The couple was soon rushed into the emergency room.

Atticus watched from where he stood as the woman was giving birth, and seemed to be giving birth to a baby boy who seemed healthy, at least, so far as the doctor took him out of his mother's stomach. 'This is interesting.' Atticus thought to himself.

Sombra soon appeared and came beside Atticus, but didn't say anything.

"Have you thought of names?" The doctor asked.

"I really like the name Atticus." The father smiled.

Atticus's eyes widened to that. "Wait, wait, wait, this is my origin, isn't it?" He asked Sombra.

'Correct,' Sombra said. 'Now keep watching.'

Atticus kept watching, though he just felt shocked, but once he realized this couple were his parents, he could see the resemblance, such as his father's structure and his mother's eyes. 

"Oh, he's a handsome little boy." The blonde woman cooed to her newborn son.

"He sure is." The father smiled.

Atticus was surprised not to hear any crying when his past self was born. The doctor and nurse soon looked concerned.

"He... He isn't crying..." The mother frowned. "I thought newborn babies were supposed to cry once they were born."

"They are." The doctor frowned back.

"I'm afraid your newborn son has been born prematurely." The nurse frowned at the parents.

The couple looked concerned.

"He may live, but... Don't get too attached." The nurse said as that was dangerous for an infant as they only had a 50:50 shot of living after birth.

"Can we please be alone with our child?" The father asked the doctor and nurse.

The doctor and nurse looked to each other, and of course, allowed it.

"The name real quick?" The doctor asked.

"Fudo," The father gave his new son his name. "Atticus James Fudo."

The doctor soon wrote down the full name. The nurse soon left with the doctor as the couple looked down to their newborn son. Atticus frowned as he didn't like how he was born at first.

"He's really adorable, Patrick..." The woman told her husband.

"He really is, he looks like me when I was a baby." The man replied.

"I just wish there was a way we could save his life." The woman frowned.

"I know..." The man replied. 

Atticus frowned to the couple who seemed to be his parents.

"Make a wish, and it shall be granted." Sombra's voice smirked.

"Who said that?" The couple asked.

"I did... I can help you two." Sombra's voice replied before he showed himself.

"Y-You can?" The blonde woman asked.

"Yes... Please... Allow me..." Sombra replied. 

"What can you do?" The brown-haired man asked.

"Relax... I can handle this..." Sombra smirked. "Patrick and Emily."

"How do you know our names?" Emily asked him.

"Let's just say we share something in common," Sombra replied. "We want this little guy to make through puberty and become a fine, civilized adult."

"So, can you really save his life?" Patrick asked.

"But of course I can, only if I can have your trust, that is." Sombra replied as he held out his arms to hold onto Atticus for a moment.

Patrick and Emily looked to each other before handing Atticus over to Sombra. Sombra soon took a hold of Atticus and placed his hand on the baby boy's forehead as they both seemed to glow briefly, and after a short time, Atticus soon opened his eyes and started to cry, telling his parents that he was now alive. Sombra soon walked back over to the couple and handed them the newest member of their family.

"Atticus? Oh, you're okay..." Emily cooed. 

"Look, Em, he has your eyes!" Patrick smiled to his wife.

"Oh, thank you so much for saving our son's life." Emily smiled at Sombra.

"You're very welcome." Sombra replied. 

"Is there anything we can do to show how thankful we are?" Patrick added.

"Your happiness is all that matters." Sombra replied with a small smile back to the couple.

"No, no, this kindness must be rewarded." Emily smiled.

"Hmm... That's sweet..." Sombra hid a small smirk.

"Oh... Oh, Mom... Dad..." Atticus tried not to get emotional as he watched this.

"Please, there must be something we can do to repay your kindness." Emily smiled at Sombra.

Sombra looked back to them.

"All right, that's all the time we have to see." Sombra said.

"No!" Atticus cried out as the memory then ended before he could see any more. "Please, I need to see more!"

"That's all for now." Sombra said.

"No, please, there has to be more than just that." Atticus begged.

Sombra looked to him. Atticus pouted to his 'uncle'.

"Well... I suppose I could show you just a little more." Sombra replied softly, after all Atticus was his 'nephew'.

"Thank you." Atticus smiled as he hugged him.

Sombra gave a small hug back as he showed him more.

"There must be something you want..." Emily continued as she cradled her newborn son.

"Well, there is one thing," Sombra said. "I am in need of an heir to my throne."

"Erm... An heir...? But that would mean you're a king?" Emily smiled bashfully.

"Yes, indeed, I am." Sombra nodded.

"No children of your own?" Patrick asked.

"I've had my own heartbreak, and I see this boy has a bright future..." Sombra replied. "Allow him to become my heir, and I promise, he will grow a happy and healthy life."

"We'll allow him to be your heir, but that doesn't mean you can have him." Patrick said.

"I understand," Sombra replied. "I just ask that you allow him to become my prince."

Patrick and Emily looked to each other before looking back.

"That sounds fair enough." Patrick replied.

"It's the least we can do after you saved our son's life." Emily smiled.

"Thank you both very much," Sombra replied. "I promise your son will be happy and healthy throughout his life now that I've healed him."

"And we're sure he will." Emily smiled.

"Then why aren't they here now?" Atticus frowned.

"How bad do you want to know?" Sombra asked.

"Please, Uncle Sombra, please; every year it's the same thing, I never get to know what ever happened to them," Atticus frowned. "And which is why I always choose to avoid my birthday."

"I see..." Sombra replied. "I have to tell you... It's not pretty though."

"Please just tell me." Atticus said.

"I'm afraid there was an accident." Sombra sighed sharply.

"A-An accident?" Atticus frowned.

"An accident..." Sombra nodded. "I'm so sorry, Atticus."

"What kind of accident?" Atticus asked with a frown.

"It was fatal, of course..." Sombra replied.

Atticus's vision power soon showed what happened on that day. Sombra looked over to Atticus as the scene then changed.

Atticus began to look around as the scene changed. It seemed to be a happy and normal evening as Atticus was sleeping in his crib. Atticus looked confused as this seemed peaceful.

"I'm sorry that this won't last forever." Sombra warned Atticus.

"It's alright." Atticus said.

Sombra put his arm around Atticus as they watched what happened to make Atticus into an orphan, hoping that the boy would be able to handle it. There seemed to be a lightning storm going on which caused the house to catch on fire, and where this caused Atticus to start crying as he was just a baby on that day. Atticus frowned, seeing his baby self go through this as it seemed like his parents were killed by the fire. Eventually, the firefighters came and took care of the fire, but Atticus had to be taken away since he was a baby and his parents seemed to be gone now.

"So that's what happened." Atticus frowned.

"I'm so sorry, Atticus," Sombra said, trying to comfort him. "I was worried this would be too much for you to take in," He soon saw Atticus holding himself as he started to cry. "Oh, Atticus..." he then frowned, deciding to give him a hug.

Atticus continued to cry, not knowing that crystal spikes were showing up all around him from his sadness. Sombra gave Atticus a hug, doing his best to comfort him as this was an emotional time for him, and where Atticus was happy that Sombra was there to comfort him.

"Atticus?! Is everything alright?!" Clark's voice called out.

Atticus sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Uh, yeah! Just doing some homework!" he then called out, though his voice cracked a little from crying.

"Then why do I see crystal spikes around the house?!" Clark called back.

"Oh! Uh... Um.." Atticus stammered. "I'll be fine, I promise!"

"If you say so!" Clark replied.

Atticus smiled bashfully and soon took a deep breath before hiccuping. Sombra then gave him a glass of water and he drank it to settle his tears. Once he was finished the glass of water, he was better.

"Thank you for showing me what I wanted to see, Uncle Sombra." Atticus said softly.

"It's the least I could do." Sombra replied softly.

Atticus soon came to his desk, and decided to have a slice of cake with a small smile as Cherry's mother was a great cook, especially with desserts, and he knew this would be a wonderful birthday cake. Of course, he was right, as the cake was delicious. Eventually, the crystal spikes began to disappear, and it was all thanks to the cake.

"I'll leave you alone with your thoughts." Sombra said as he sounded like he was going to leave.

"Um, c-could you stay a little longer?" Atticus spoke up.

"Hm... I suppose I could... That cake does look good." Sombra replied.

Atticus soon gave his uncle a slice of cake.

"Oh, thank you." Sombra said.

"Eat up," Atticus smiled. "Cherry's mom is a queen when it comes to baking."

Sombra soon tried his slice of cake. Atticus smiled as he ate some cake, but soon began to think about Atlantis again, and where this time, his vision power showed him what he needed to see without any help from Sombra.

For the most part, he saw that he would have to go to the ocean, and he saw what looked like a palace which had to be the lost city of Atlantis.

"Whoa." Atticus smiled.

The fish seemed to swim around and look to him.

"Um... Hello, there," Atticus greeted the fish. "Can I help you?"

The fish came up to him like he was royalty.

"Hey! What're you doing?!" Atticus demanded. "Stop!"

The fish seemed to be startled by that.

"S-Sorry, but you came up to me like I was royalty which I technically am," Atticus said. "But I just didn't know if anyone else knew."

"You look so familiar though." One of the fish said.

"...Fish are talking to me..." Atticus sighed. "I think I'm losing my mind!"

"How can you be losing your mind; after all, you are a merboy, aren't you? After all, look at your tail." The second fish said while pointing down.

"Wait... What?" Atticus replied.

The other fish nodded.

Atticus blinked and looked down to see he had a tail fin like a merman which made him yelp out of surprise. "This can't be happening! T-This must be a part of my vision." Atticus panicked.

The other fish just looked to him.

"I guess he doesn't know about being part of the merfolk kingdom." One fish said to the other.

"I guess so." The other fish said.

"So, are you talking to me?" Atticus asked.

"You don't seem to know a lot about yourself." A fish commented.

"No, I guess I really don't." Atticus said.

"Well, you're a young merman for one thing." A fish smiled to him.

"I can see that." Atticus deadpanned.

"Oh, right." The fish smiled sheepishly.

"So, I'm a merman... I never knew about that..." Atticus said as he began to swim around, getting used to his new tail fin.

"How so?" One of the fish asked.

"Well, I don't know much about my life, even though today's my birthday." Atticus replied.

"Well, maybe we can help you." Another fish said.

"Um, thanks..." Atticus replied. "I would appreciate that."

They soon began to swim together and Atticus laughed as he seemed to like swimming very much, and where there was soon music heard as he enjoyed swimming. 

"You really think he could be the one?" One fish asked the other.

"I'm sure he is, even if he doesn't know it." The fish shrugged his fins.

"He has to be the one." The third fish said.

Atticus soon stopped when the fish stopped in front of the royal palace that was under the sea. "I still can't believe this place is real," Atticus smiled. "I never wanna wake up from this vision."

But of course, he would have to at some point. Someone seemed to swim aggressively right past him who had black hair and looked a bit cold and dangerous.

"Whoa!" Atticus yelped. "Who the heck was that?!"

The black-haired man glanced to him, narrowing his eyes.

"I feel like I can't trust this bozo." Atticus narrowed his eyes back.

The fish soon hid behind Atticus as they were slightly scared. The black-haired man glared at Atticus before swimming off.

"Who's the friendly guy?" Atticus scoffed.

"Prince Orm." The fish told him.

"He's the prince of this place?" Atticus asked before getting sarcastic. "Sheesh, he must be a blast at parties."

The fish just shivered nervously from Prince Orm's appearance.

"I'm guessing with how frightened you all are by him, he's not destined to be the king of Atlantis, right?" Atticus asked the fish.

"I never thought he would be a suitable heir to the throne." A fish commented.

"That answers my question." Atticus said.

"I guess you're destined to go up against him if you're having a vision about this." A fish commented.

"Looks like it." Atticus said.

Atticus eventually woke up after a while and found himself in his bedroom which made him sigh a bit as he wasn't sure what that was all about, but he felt more determined now than ever to go to Atlantis, and where he was going to follow the map that his 'uncle' gave him.


	5. Chapter 5

Clark was soon watching TV downstairs, though he was a little curious as Atticus was quiet for a while, and where after sometime, he went up to his room. Atticus soon put the map away again as he heard a knock at the door.

"Atticus, are you awake?" Clark's voice asked behind the door.

"Yeah, I'm awake." Atticus replied.

Clark soon opened the door and came to see him. "I just wanted to check on you, you were so quiet."

"Yeah, sorry, I, uh, was just so deep in thought." Atticus lied.

"I know you've had a long week, especially with meeting those friends, and today being your birthday," Clark said. "Just know that I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Dad." Atticus smiled.

"You feeling any better?" Clark smiled back once he saw Atticus smile.

"Yeah." Atticus smiled back.

"Oh, that's good, I'm so relieved," Clark smiled. "Hey, uh, if you wouldn't mind, would you like to come to dinner with me and Diana? We could be like a real family."

"Family..." Atticus whispered.

"If you want," Clark said. "I know we can't replace your parents, but I think it'd be nice, because... I really, really like Diana."

"I'd really like that." Atticus smiled.

"Oh, I'm glad," Clark smiled back. "Thank you."

"No problem, Dad." Atticus smiled back.

"Um... Would you be against me having some of your cake?" Clark smirked playfully.

"Hmm... Maybe." Atticus smirked back playfully.

Clark chuckled. Atticus then took out the cake and let Clark have some.

"It sure looks great." Clark smiled.

"Oh, it is." Atticus smiled back.

Clark soon gave himself a piece and beamed at the taste. "Mm! That is good!"

"What'd I tell ya?" Atticus smiled.

"I'm really sorry about the surprise party, I thought it might cheer you up." Clark said softly.

"It's alright, Dad." Atticus smiled.

Clark smiled back as they were back to being friends and family again, and where soon they both got ready for the dinner with Diana once it was evening.

"Man, this feels nice." Atticus smiled.

"I thought we could both use a night out." Clark smiled back.

"And your thought was right." Atticus smiled back.

Clark smiled as they decided to get going for a night out together. The night seemed to be clear. 

"Ah..." Atticus smiled as this seemed like a lovely night to go out.

Diana smiled as she waved to them as they were coming over.

"Hey, Diana." Atticus smiled back.

"Ah, hello, Atticus, so nice to see you." Diana smiled as she hugged the boy.

"Nice to see you too." Atticus smiled back.

"Order anything you like." Clark smiled to Atticus.

"Thanks, Dad." Atticus smiled back.

"No problem, kiddo." Clark smiled back as he ruffled his adoptive son's hair.

Atticus chuckled as he took a look at the menu given to him. Clark and Diana began to look at their own menus as well so then they would also be ready to order after Atticus.

"Ooh, everything looks amazing," Atticus smiled. "So many decisions, so little time."

"Take your time." Clark smiled back.

Atticus chuckled as he continued to look around. "Hmm... A steak salad..." he then said once he saw a possible option, and where since nothing else seemed to catch his interest even more that was the one he was going with.

Clark and Diana took their own orders once they made up their minds and they went with that, and where Diana looked surprised that no one was surprised to see her in the same room as them as she was in her alter ego disguise. It seemed to be a good evening for all of them, especially for Clark and Atticus since they made up.

"Clark?" Diana called.

"Yeah?" Clark replied.

"This actually works." Diana smiled as she adjusted her glasses.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Atticus smiled back, adding himself in.

"To hide in plain sight as one of them." Diana smiled. 

"Not much as hide, as be one of them." Clark smiled back.

"This way they don't treat us any different." Atticus added.

"The difference eludes me." Diana replied.

"We can just blend in, together." Clark smiled as he took her hand.

Atticus smiled as he hoped nothing would cause his adoptive dad to retract his hand from Diana's.

"Smallville, is that you?" Another woman's voice called.

Atticus soon looked up with the adults to find an old familiar face from Clark's past.

"Oh, Lois, hi." Clark smiled as he retracted his hand then.

'Oh, come on!' Atticus thought to himself as he noticed his dad retracted his hand from Diana's.

Lois cleared her throat as it seemed quiet.

"Uh, I'm sorry... Sorry," Clark replied. "This is, uh--"

"Lois Lane." Lois smiled, taking out her hand to the other woman.

"Diana Prince." Diana smiled back, shaking hands with her.

"Quite a grip you got there." Lois replied before seeing Atticus.

"Hello, ma'am." Atticus greeted.

"Lois, you remember my adoptive son Atticus, right?" Clark asked.

"Ah, that's right..." Lois replied. "You must've grown up a bit, you look so mature now."

"Thanks." Atticus said.

"I work with Clark closely," Lois told Diana as she suddenly sat down. "We share a by-line sometimes."

"Diana is a diplomat." Clark spoke up.

"Ohh... So this is an interview?" Lois guessed.

"Nope." Atticus told her.

"It's actually a birthday dinner for Atticus." Diana clarified.

"Oh... Right..." Lois replied before nudging Clark. "Nice manners, Farm Boy. Girl like this you take somewhere posh. It's a wonder women go out with you at all, and Diana? I love your glasses."

"Thanks," Diana smiled. "They're new."

'Now I'm sure nothing could ruin this moment.' Atticus thought to himself.

However, something appeared out the window which made Atticus groan in disappointment. However, it wasn't someone evil, it appeared to be two heroes who saw Clark, Atticus, and Diana together, and the other diner patrons stared out the window.

"Oh, come on!" Atticus complained.

"Nice to meet you," Lois said to Diana before getting out of her seat. "Gotta go."

"We'll need this to go." Clark called out to a waiter.

'This better be important.' Atticus thought to himself.

Eventually, all of the superheroes met at the S.T.A.R. Labs. However, some seemed to be missing as they came into a meeting room.

"What, the Bat's too good for us now?" Green Lantern huffed. 

"It's Batman, he doesn't answer hails." Cyborg replied.

"It's just how he is." Saiya Man shrugged.

"Yeah, but if I have to be here, so does he." Green Lantern replied before he began to glow.

"Hal, don't do anything--" Flash warned only for him to go away out the ceiling. "...Stupid."

"I'll go stop him." Saiya Man sighed before flying off after Green Lantern at super-speed.

"Good luck." Flash replied.

"If anyone can stop Hal from doing something stupid, it's Atticus." Clark said.

Meanwhile, a group of bank robbers who were working for Scarecrow were soon driving off, but they were being followed.

"I think they're down there," Lady Gothika said to Batman. "I mean, it's gotta be them, right?"

"It should be, you hang tight." Batman told her.

The robbers soon rolled down the windows and tried to shoot up at the two.

"Hiya, Spooky," Green Lantern smirked as he flew beside them. "You don't write, you don't call."

"We're busy," Batman replied firmly. "LG, push that button."

"You got it." Lady Gothika replied back before pushing a button.

The button brought out a spear, and soon, they had to turn around as the car drove away from their path.

"Well, clear your schedule, because you and I--" Green Lantern replied only for them to zoom over him as they kept chasing the bank robbers. "I hate that guy!"

"Hal, will you stop for one second?" Saiya Man asked as he arrived.

"Ah, Sayia Man, what a surprise." Green Lantern greeted.

"Well, someone had to stop you from doing something stupid." Saiya Man said.

"Who said I was gonna do something stupid?" Green Lantern replied. "It's not my fault if Mr. Gloomy and his Duchess of Darkness didn't show up when they were called."

"Well, it looks like they're a little busy." Sayia Man said.

"The League needs them." Green Lantern reminded him.

"I know." Saiya Man said.

"Then why are you stopping me?" Green Lantern replied before he flew after Batman.

"Just making you sure you don't do anything stupid." Saiya Man said.

Green Lantern rolled his eyes and soon flew off.

"Hey!" Sayia Man called out and soon flew after him.

"The League needs you." Green Lantern told Batman.

"This about those missiles?" Batman replied.

"Lucky guess." Green Lantern smirked.

"How'd you know?" Saiya Man asked Batman.

"I have my ways." Batman replied mysteriously.

"Of course he does." Saiya Man said to himself.

"Get rid of him," Lady Gothika demanded, referring to Green Lantern. "We're right in the middle of something."

Sayia Man nodded to Lady Gothika as he would try his best, but he knew Green Lantern was always a difficult guy to deal with.

"Hey there, henchdudes, I'll be handling your arrest today." Green Lantern smirked as he flew towards Scarecrow's cronies.

"And there he goes." Saiya Man sighed.

Lady Gothika gave him a look. "SAYIA MAN?!"

"Uh, I'm on it, don't worry, I got this." Sayia Man smiled nervously.

"Oi." Lady Gothika sighed.

The henchmen soon began to shoot at Green Lantern, but the bullets didn't hurt him, and neither against Sayia Man as he came after Green Lantern to stop him. The car began to drive faster until Green Lantern used his ring to make the car drive up a ramp from his powers.

'This may a little bit more challenging.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

Lady Gothika tapped her fingers slowly against her leg as Sayia Man tried to get rid of Green Lantern. The ramp soon had many twists and turns, and the car soon crashed into a wall, which seemed near fatal. Several police cars soon drove over to take care of the henchmen.

"Ready? Because we're done here." Green Lantern smiled.

"G.L., we have to go now." Saiya Man said.

"All right, let's get going then." Green Lantern replied.

"Hold up," Lady Gothika glared as she stepped out of the jet with Batman, standing on top of it with him. "If we're really done, then who's the supplier for the aerosol component in the fear toxin?"

"Who... Who is the what now...?" Green Lantern shrugged.

"Oh, for the love of..." Saiya Man said as he facepalmed.

"Who is Scarecrow targeting in City Hall?" Batman glared to Green Lantern. "No, what about something simple? Like, where's the Scarecrow?"

"Bro, I caught them for you, you're welcome," Green Lantern replied. "I didn't know--"

"We didn't need them caught!" Lady Gothika told him. "We needed them scared so we could get our information, you dolt!"

'Use the memory spell on Scarecrow's cronies.' Sombra's voice said in Saiya Man's head.

Sayia Man blinked as he suddenly looked motivated, and soon flew downward to the henchmen. 

"Next time you want to help, do me a favor," Batman coldly told Green Lantern. "Don't."

Saiya Man soon concentrated and where he soon began to recite the spell as he cast it on the cronies as if he knew it deep with in him. Batman and Lady Gothika began to fly off in their jet and Green Lantern began to fly after them. The spell soon began to work as the memories of the Cronies began to show Saiya Man the answer he needed. Sayia Man took notes on this to share with Batman and Lady Gothika later since they seemed to really need those guys, as he just knew that they would appreciate his help.


	6. Chapter 6

Eventually, the other heroes met up at S.T.A.R Labs where Green Lantern was scanning something which appeared to be a submarine.

"No energy signatures," Green Lantern reported. "This was all done by hand."

A Dalmatian was soon seen as it was coming out of the submarine.

"Who could have done that, besides us?" Captain Marvel wondered.

"Wait, there's something in there." Lady Gothika pointed out as she stood beside Batman.

They soon looked up to see what Lady Gothika saw and where it soon slid down the other side. Lady Gothika picked up what appeared to be a Dalmatian puppy. The puppy smiled and then licked her.

"Augh! Stop it!" Lady Gothika complained. "Dog slobber!"

"How in the world did a Dalmatian puppy get in there?" Green Lantern asked.

"I don't know, but get him away from me!" Lady Gothika complained as she set the dog down, wiping her face from the dog slobber.

"Let's see if he has a name tag; maybe it has a dog tag that can tell us where he's from." Cyborg said.

Sayia Man soon came over. The Dalmatian looked to him and seemed to walk up to him while panting.

"Hey there, boy." Saiya Man smiled down at the Dalmatian as he bent down to see if he had a dog tag.

The Dalmatian smiled back.

"Hmm... Let's see here..." Sayia Man said as he checked. "His name is... Patch."

"Does it say where he's from?" Superman asked.

"Cherry Tree Farm?" Sayia Man replied. "Oh, Patch, you're very far from home, aren't you?"

Patch smiled as he seemed to like Sayia Man already.

"If only he could talk so then he could tell us why or how he got in the submarine and away from his farm." Green Lantern said.

"Yeah, too bad animals can't talk." Lady Gothika commented.

Saiya Man soon remembered his latest vision and thought of trying to understand Patch.

Patch barked and smiled to Sayia Man until his barks were starting to sound like the English language. "Hi, there!"

"Can you tell me how you got in that submarine?" Saiya Man asked Patch.

"Hmm..." Patch paused for a moment. "I think I was outside with the others, and someone came the door... My brother Lucky said it seemed interesting, and we should sneak in his truck to see where he's going..."

"So then is your brother still in the submarine?" Saiya Man asked.

"Not just him, but maybe my other brother Rolly and our sister Cadpig," Patch replied. "We always go on crazy misadventures together."

"Is he actually talking to that puppy?" Flash asked Superman.

"I... I guess so." Superman replied.

"That kid needs help." Green Lantern scoffed.

"There are three more puppies in that submarine." Sayia Man told the rest of the team.

"Is that right?" Lady Gothika replied. "Well, then, let's just see."

They soon came to the submarine and found other Dalmatian puppies, and one of them seemed to actually be a chicken.

"I thought you said your sister Spot was with you?" Sayia Man said to Patch.

"Oh, Spot's not my sister," Patch replied. "Spot is our friend who wants to be a dog, but she's a chicken."

"Why is she called--" Saiya Man was about to ask before seeing the chicken had spots. "Never mind I see why she's called 'Spot'."

"There's a chicken here..." Lady Gothika said as she grabbed the chicken before smirking. "Dinner's on me, guys!"

"D-D-D-Dinner!?" Spot panicked.

Lady Gothika soon jumped down with the chicken. Lucky, Cadpig, and Rolly barked and glared at her for taking Spot like that.

"Oh! Shoo! Shoo!" Lady Gothika told the Dalmatian puppies.

"L.G., that's their friend, she's not going to be dinner." Saiya Man told her.

"Is that right?" Lady Gothika replied.

"Yes, that's right," Sayia Man said as he took Spot away from his best friend. "Are you okay?" he then asked the chicken.

"I... I guess so..." Spot replied.

"Do you have something to eat?" Rolly asked Saiya Man.

"You ate an hour ago." Lucky told the slightly overweight puppy.

"Well, sure, but that's like seven hours in doggy time!" Rolly pouted.

"Oh, Rolly, you shouldn't just think about food all the time," Cadpig smiled. "Think about having an exciting and brand new adventure in... Wherever we are right now."

"Can you tell us where we are?" Patch asked Saiya Man.

"Well, you're actually in a secret base that holds the members of a secret superhero group known as The Justice League of America." Sayia Man told the Dalmatian puppies.

"Um, okay, and where is that exactly, like, in what country?" Patch asked.

"I guess you guys aren't from America?" Sayia Man replied.

"Well, actually, before we lived on the farm, we used to live in London." Lucky clarified.

"So then I guess that means we're somewhere in one of the American states." Cadpig said.

"Is he seriously talking to those animals?" Wonder Woman asked Superman.

"It seems so." Superman nodded.

"Well, don't worry, we'll get you five back home." Saiya Man smiled at the puppies and chicken.

"Thanks." They replied, even though they were curious about being here.

"You'll stay with me for now." Sayia Man told them. 

"Ahem!" Superman replied.

"Oh! Uh... Can I?" Sayia Man smiled innocently.

"Until we can get them back to where they belong, that would be a smart and kind thing to do." Diana said.

"Well, all right, but they are your responsibility." Superman told Sayia Man.

"YES!" Sayia Man beamed, sounding like the kid he was now. "Thanks, Dad--Erm... Superman!"

"No problem, kiddo." Superman smiled.

"Yeah, and is it just me or has he been talking to us and we've been talking right back to him like he understands us?" Rolly asked.

"I am, Rolly." Sayia Man smiled.

"Whoa!" The puppies smiled back.

"Hmm... There are strange hand-prints on this sub..." Sayia Man said as he went back to the case. 

"I counted four dozen moving in sync." Flash said to him.

"Four squadrons. This was a choreographed onslaught." Batman suggested.

"Choreographed?" Cadpig asked out of confusion.

"It means organized like in a team effort." Sayia Man told Cadpig.

"Oh, okay." Cadpig replied.

"But who would want to attack a submarine?" Patch asked.

"You think Darkseid's army has returned?" Wonder Woman asked Batman.

"No, doesn't fit," Batman replied before facing Cyborg. "Walk us through your assault."

Cyborg nodded and then took them into another room. Patch and his siblings and Spot soon followed them.

They appeared to be in a secret room with a lot of cameras. Cyborg began to change the room to make it seem like they were underwater to show them what he had to tell them about. 

"Kinda cool," Green Lantern commented. "Like watching a 3D movie with no glasses." 

"Cool." Lucky smiled.

Someone began to swim by.

"Freeze," Batman said. "Observations?"

"They avoided his gaze, and kept to the elements by staying in the shadows." Lady Gothika said like a learning student.

"These were warriors." Wonder Woman added.

"Agreed," Batman replied. "Resume." 

The video kept going. It seemed like two beings swam up to Cyborg and hit him.

"That looked like it hurt all over again." Captain Marvel winced.

"Who has the force to knock a quarter ton of metal to the ground under water?" Flash wondered. 

"Heck if I know." Lady Gothika shrugged.

Cyborg then tried to fight back.

"Freeze," Green Lantern said. "That's a barrel roll. These guys are skilled in 360-degree combat."

"Agreed," Batman replied. "Note the sound sensitivity." 

"These warriors must have been training a lot." Patch said.

"Makes sense," Flash reported. "Sound travels 4.3 times faster underwater."

Saiya Man noticed that the warriors on the video didn't have tail fins and became curious how they breathed underwater without any oxygen tanks.

"Kiss ass!" Green Lantern coughed with a smirk to Flash.

"Grow up." Lady Gothika glared.

"Resume." Batman demanded. 

The video soon resumed. Cyborg was then attacked by the people in the water who didn't seem to be human. At least, not to Sayia Man.

"Freeze." Batman said.

"So that's what you look like..." Cyborg muttered to an enemy who was swimming away from him. 

"What were those?" Lucky asked. "Humans?"

"Magnify." Batman demanded.

They soon took a closer look and the enemy appeared to have gills like a fish.

"Gills?" Captain Marvel asked. "As in... Mermaids?"

"As in Atlantis," Wonder Woman's eyes widened before she came to Cyborg. "Where is this?"

Cyborg took a scan as he made the images fade away before he gave her a sacred knife. Saiya Man knew now was the perfect time for the map.

"Wonder Woman, you seem to know about Atlantis." Lady Gothika commented.

"Indeed," Wonder Woman replied. "From the Tales of Atlantis I've read as a girl. It sunk into the ocean, but its people were saved by the magic of the King's trident which turned them irreversibly into creatures of the sea."

"That's a fairy tale." Green Lantern scoffed.

"No, it isn't." Sayia Man said.

"Aren't you too old to believe in fairy tales?" Green Lantern asked him.

Saiya Man decided to tell them about his new power, but decided to keep Sombra's meeting a secret and where he got the map after showing them it. Superman took the map and looked it over with Wonder Woman.

"So, where is it?" Cyborg asked.

"I don't believe this... I never thought I'd ever see a map for Atlantis." Wonder Woman commented.

"Where'd you get this map?" Superman asked Saiya Man.

"Oh, uh, it came to me, from a dream." Sayia Man replied innocently.

"A dream? Really?" Lady Gothika asked, unimpressed.

"Yes!" Sayia Man replied.

"Uh-huh...?" Lady Gothika said to him, suspiciously.

"Seriously!" Saiya Man replied.

"If you say so..." Lady Gothika rolled her eyes. 

"This is madness!" Shazam commented.

"He's got that right." Rolly said.

"Look, just listen to me, okay?" Sayia Man replied to them. "I know what I'm doing."

"Alright, alright." Lady Gothika shrugged.

"Wonder Woman, I know how to get to Atlantis, you trust me, right?" Sayia Man asked.

"Well... I suppose I do." Wonder Woman replied.

"Then all we have to do is follow this map and we'll arrive at Atlantis." Saiya Man said.

"I have a question," Green Lantern spoke up. "What does a mythical, mystical undersea world need with missiles? And so, I dare you to say that five times fast."

"Obviously, they plan to attack us." Batman told him.

"But what reason could they have for attacking us?" Lady Gothika asked.

"Any way you look at it, it's bad." Green Lantern commented.

"I'm sure there's a reason for it." Sayia Man said to Lady Gothika.

"Uh, terrible idea," Shazam spoke up. "I saw an Atlantis show on the whatsit channel, with this professor. Maybe he can help us?"

"I have a map." Sayia Man reminded him.

"Yeah, but still if this guy knows something about Atlantis, we should see what he knows before following the map." Lady Gothika said.

"Hmm... I guess that's a good point." Sayia Man replied.

"Of course it is," Lady Gothika told him. "I'm brilliant."

"Anyways, where can we find this professor?" Saiya Man asked Shazam.

"We're at S.T.A.R.S Lab, the greatest minds on the planet are right next door." Green Lantern interrupted.

"...Jeez, I said terrible idea." Shazam muttered in defeat.

"Maybe it's not," Cyborg replied. "Dr. Stephen Shin, I'm scrubbing through his research. He's got some pretty out-there theories about the existence of Atlantis."

"That interesting I guess." Lucky said.

"Superman and I will go question Dr. Shin." Batman decided before walking off.

"When did we vote him team leader?" Superman grumbled.

"I don't think we ever voted him as team leader." Saiya Man said.

"Would you kids like to come along?" Superman asked Lady Gothika and Sayia Man.

"I guess I might as well." Lady Gothika shrugged to the Man of Steel.

"Sure." Saiya Man smiled.

The two then followed after the adult superhero men, leaving the others to themselves, wondering what to do.

'I know you can find Atlantis.' Sombra's voice said in Sayia Man's head.

'Thanks, Uncle Sombra.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

'You're welcome, my favorite nephew.' Sombra replied.

'Aren't I your only nephew?' Saiya Man thought to himself.

'You know what I mean.' Sombra chuckled.

'Yeah, I know.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

And so, they went off together while the other League members were left alone.

"Lady Gothika, stay close to me." Batman reminded.

"I'm not a baby bat." Lady Gothika grumbled slightly.

"I just don't want you getting yourself lost." Batman said.

"I won't get lost..." Lady Gothika replied. "Bruce, just because you're my godfather doesn't mean you have to baby me."

Batman sighed. "Teenagers..."

"Adults..." Lady Gothika sighed back.

Batman glanced to her before they came to where they were looking for while Sayia Man held onto his map of Atlantis.

"So, where did you really find that map?" Superman asked Saiya Man.

"W-What are you talking about?" Saiya Man stuttered as he avoided eye contact.

"Sayia Man, you know what I'm talking about." Superman told his foster son.

"Mm-mm..." Sayia Man shook his head.

"Sayia Man has the balls to lie to Superman again?" Lady Gothika commented.

"SHUT UP!" Sayia Man told her.

"I'm just saying." Lady Gothika shrugged.

"Sayia Man... Lady Gothika... Please..." Superman sighed to them.

"Like I said," Batman replied before sighing again. "Teenagers..."

Lady Gothika glanced to him as they explored.

"Tell me about it." Superman mumbled about Sayia Man's behavior, but at least he seemed better now, realizing what he had done was stupid and childish.

"Follow my lead." Batman said as he led the way through a window.

"Seriously who voted him leader?" Saiya Man whispered to Superman.

"I think he decided himself by unanimous decision." Superman whispered back.

"That seems unfair." Saiya Man whispered back.

"Don't worry, we'll survive." Superman reassured.

"You know, Batman, Superman is an investigative reporter." Sayia Man spoke up to the Dark Knight.

"Journalism's dead," Batman told him. "Someone got here first."

Lady Gothika soon caught up to Batman.

"What do you see?" Batman quizzed Lady Gothika.

"Hm... Seems to be ransacked," Lady Gothika replied. "Guess someone was looking for the same thing we were."

"Very good." Batman approved.

Lady Gothika visibly smiled to that.

"But who would be after information on Atlantis?" Saiya Man asked.

"Hmm... Someone who would wanna destroy Shin's life's work." Batman replied.

"That makes sense." Saiya Man said.

"Where could Shin be then?" Lady Gothika wondered.

"Probably dead." Batman guessed.

"How do you figure?" Superman asked him.

"You don't destroy someone's work and then let them live to recreate it." Batman replied.

"...Duh!" Lady Gothika then added.

"Guess we'll have to follow the map now." Saiya Man said.

"I guess we might have to." Batman said to him.

"It is the only other solution we have to finding the way to Atlantis." Lady Gothika said.

Lady Gothika stuck her tongue out to him slightly.

"Wait..." Superman said as he found something on the tank. "Hmm... Who is this?"

The others gathered around to see him looking at a man who had blonde hair.

"Whoever he is, he's got gills too." Batman noted.

"Then looks like we have a visitor from Atlantis." Saiya Man said.

"Cyborg, run your facial recognition program off this picture." Batman said through his earpiece.

'Roger that.' Cyborg replied before doing as he was told.

Saiya Man knew that Cyborg would get the results soon.

'His name's Arthur Curry.' Cyborg informed.

"I got a water-logged letter from a Thomas Curry, but it's illegible." Superman commented.

"Where can we find Arthur Curry?" Saiya Man asked Cyborg through his earpiece.

'Hmm... That's a good question... I'll look into that...' Cyborg replied.

"Alright." Saiya Man said.

"This Arthur Curry guy must've fallen off the radar." Lady Gothika crossed her arms.

'I cannot believe I am saying this, but your friend may be right.' Sombra's voice said to Saiya Man.

'Uh, Uncle Sombra?' Sayia Man replied through his thoughts.

'Hmm... I seem to be having trouble in finding Arthur Curry.' Cyborg told Sayia Man through the earpiece.

'Use your vision power to see if you can find out where Arthur Curry will be next.' Sombra told Saiya Man.

Sayia Man soon did just that.

'Now just concentrate on the name Arthur Curry, and your vision power will show you where he is.' Sombra's voice advised.

Sayia Man nodded his head as he tried to do that as Arthur Curry seemed to be missing, and where as he continued to say Arthur Curry's name in his head over and over, his vision power soon showed him where to find the person. He soon opened his eyes as he seemed to be underwater again. Could Arthur Curry be Atlantean somehow?

'Now I just have to see if I can find him somewhere around so I can tell the others.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

"Half-Atlantean?" Lady Gothika asked once she was told Arthur was rumored to be born as such.

"Seems that way." Superman said.

"As of right now, I am sick of Atlantis." Lady Gothika complained.

"We have to find out why they're attacking though." Saiya Man said.

"Tell me, Sayia Man, do you like detective work?" Batman asked.

"He's a total nerd about it." Lady Gothika smirked.

"It's true." Saiya Man said.

"I think you might enjoy this case then." Batman said to him.

"He used to always help solve many cases that couldn't be solved at the school." Lady Gothika said.

"I'm sure he has," Batman replied. "Bring him along."

"I'm already coming along." Saiya Man said.

"Come on." Batman replied.

"Do you really think I'm a nerd?" Sayia Man asked Lady Gothika.

"Yes, but you're my nerd." Lady Gothika replied in a heartwarming tone.

"Aw, thanks." Sayia Man smiled.

Lady Gothika hid a small smirk to him as they walked off. Saiya Man knew that she hid a smile. They soon left Shin's place once they had their information for right now, and now had a mysterious case known as Arthur Curry while Sayia Man found himself getting closer and closer to Atlantis, which, of course, was a good thing.


	7. Chapter 7

Sayia Man looked excited to experience Atlantis up close as he knew he was destined to go there, especially after Sombra told him about it and the secret map.

"You sure are excited." Superman smiled at his adopted son.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Sayia Man smiled back. "It's a brand new adventure!"

"Plus this will prove that Atlantis is real and not just a myth." Superman said.

"I know," Sayia Man smiled. "It feels so exciting. Plus it'll be nice for Wonder Woman since she believes in it."

"If she does, then I do too." Superman smiled back.

"This is going to be one adventure to remember." Saiya Man said.

This adventure would also have an introduction of a new superhero who is just now discovering himself after a bad case of tragedy. And so, they began to follow the map that Saiya Man had. Some of the others came to join in.

"You're gonna love this." Sayia Man told Lady Gothika.

"You're like a kid in a candy store." Lady Gothika replied.

"Well, I'm just so excited." Saiya Man smiled.

"Well... That's an improvement over how you've been acting last week." Lady Gothika had to admit.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Saiya Man said.

"I'm just glad you stopped," Lady Gothika said, sounding sincere and kind. "I was really worried about you."

"And I'm sorry about that too." Saiya Man sighed.

Lady Gothika patted him on the back. Sayia Man blinked and looked back before smiling since she showed that she really did care about him. They continued to follow the map for a long time until they would reach their destination. They then stopped and looked up as they entered a whole new area.

"This is it, gang," Sayia Man smiled. "Atlantis awaits."

"We're about to make history." Lady Gothika said.

"You said it, LG," Sayia Man smiled until they heard some grunting. "Uh-oh. Someone's in trouble."

"Sounds like we'll have to save the person." Lady Gothika said.

"You ready then?" Sayia Man asked.

"I guess so..." Lady Gothika shrugged. "Why else am I in the Justice League?"

"True." Saiya Man said.

They soon went off to help whoever was in danger, but he seemed to look a lot like the Arthur Curry guy they had recently heard about.

"Looks like we found Arthur Curry." Lady Gothika said.

"Yup." Sayia Man agreed as he cracked his neck and knuckles to get ready.

"Here we go." Superman said.

"It's on!" Sayia Man smirked.

They soon came to help as the blonde man seemed to be attacked by a group, but it wasn't just them there.

'Whoa.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

"You're not scared, are you?" Lady Gothika smirked to Sayia Man.

"Of course not." Saiya Man said.

"I didn't think so," Lady Gothika smirked. "Now, onwards!"

They soon went to help out Arthur. Arthur handled whoever he could on his own, but he clearly needed help, and he soon got it once he saw the others coming to help him out.

'Good thing we came, this guy looked like he could use some help.' Saiya Man thought to himself.

"Kids?" Arthur asked.

"Hey, we're not kids!" Lady Gothika glared.

"We're teenagers." Saiya Man added, referring to himself and Lady Gothika.

"It might be dangerous for you here." Arthur replied.

"Try me!" Lady Gothika smirked. "I'm as scary as Batman with a gun!"

"Which he would never use." Saiya Man said.

"Me neither." Lady Gothika whispered as she also hated guns.

The enemies soon came in to attack and the two worked together to handle them, eventually, Batman and Superman helped out.

"Took you guys long enough." Saiya Man teased.

"You're fine." Superman smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." Saiya Man smirked back.

And so, the heroes fought together while Arthur did what he could on his own. It was a lot easier with all of them helping each other out like they were.

"Hm... These guys don't seem to be human," Lady Gothika commented. She soon looked surprised as she saw Saiya Man didn't have legs anymore. "Uh... What?!" she then blinked in surprise.

"What?" Saiya Man asked her.

"What happened to your legs?" Lady Gothika asked him.

Saiya Man looked confused before he looked down at his legs to see he had a tail fin just like in his second vision.

"Uh... Are you okay?" Lady Gothika asked him as someone came right behind her, about to knock her out cold.

"Yeah, it's just that I saw this in a vision," Saiya Man told her before warning her. "Behind you!"

"Huh?" Lady Gothika asked before looking behind her.

The goon was about to tackle her until she leaped out of the way, luckily in time.

"Thanks for the warning." Lady Gothika told Saiya Man.

"Hey, what're friends for?" Sayia Man smiled to her. "You've gotten great at your fighting."

"Ah, I'm not that good." Lady Gothika replied.

"Yes, you are." Saiya Man smiled.

"Stop it, you're getting mushy." Lady Gothika smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." Saiya Man rolled his eyes.

Lady Gothika soon got out of view to slide down into some goons like a bowling ball striking into some pins.

"And strike!" Saiya Man smiled.

"I've been working on that routine for a while," Lady Gothika said to him. "Better than practice... Usually at practice, I'd get my tights in a wedgie."

"Yikes." Saiya Man cringed.

"So... What are you... A fish now?" Lady Gothika asked him.

"I'm not sure." Saiya Man said.

"Classy..." Lady Gothika said. "You always had to be the special one."

"Trust me, I don't know why this happened to me, but I think it has something to do with my family's past," Saiya Man said. "And I mean my biological family."

"I see..." Lady Gothika replied.

"...Hey, LG, do you think your parents might know about my parents?" Sayia Man asked.

"...I never thought about that." Lady Gothika admitted.

"So then we have to ask them." Saiya Man said.

Lady Gothika soon looked around for more goons and the other heroes seemed to handle them while they were talking. "Uh, you okay, Mr. Curry?" she then asked the blonde man who was in danger.

"I suppose I'll be fine." Arthur replied.

"That's good." Lady Gothika said.

"We've been looking for you." Flash said to Arthur.

The other heroes were soon on their way from the Justice League to see Arthur. The fish from Saiya Man's second vision appeared behind a reef and where they saw the one that fit the description from a prophecy.

"Do you think it could be him?" One fish asked the other.

"It has to! He matches perfectly!" The other fish replied.

"Then we better go and see him up close." A third fish said.

The fish soon swam towards Sayia Man to come see him up close. The other members of the Justice League soon came over.

"Hey, gang." Sayia Man smiled to them.

They were all soon greeted by the fish group.

"Hey, fish!" Lady Gothika said.

"Retreat." Superman told the other goons before making them run off.

The fish seemed to go past the goons and group as they came up to Saiya Man. The others looked over to the fish who came with Sayia Man.

"New friends?" Superman asked Sayia Man about the fish.

"These guys were from my second vision I had." Saiya Man told him.

"Fish, huh?" Superman asked. "You seem interested in a lot of sea life nowadays, son."

"It's you." The first fish smiled at Saiya Man.

"Yeah, it's me," Sayia Man smiled back. "...Uh... Me who?"

"The long-lost nephew of the King and Queen of the Sea." The fish replied.

This surprised everyone including Saiya Man since that wasn't in his vision before. 

"I'm a prince?" Sayia Man asked.

"Well, I always thought you were a royal pain in the--" Lady Gothika replied before sighing. "Oh, who am I kidding? This is too shocking to ignore. My best friend is a prince!"

"Okay, mind explaining which one of my parents was a mermaid or a merperson?" Atticus asked the fish.

"Mermaid," One of the fish told Atticus. "Your mother was Queen Athena's sister." 

"Shut. Up." Cherry muttered about this reveal. 

"Of course, they were also good friends with the great Queen Atlanna." The fish continued.

"No. Way." Atticus blinked.

"Indeed." The fish confirmed that this was true.

"Whoa." Atticus said.

"This can't be happening..." Cherry let out a small groan.

A redheaded woman soon came up to Arthur as his hand was bleeding.

"Who's that?" Atticus asked the fish while pointing to the redheaded woman.

"That would be Mera," A fish told him. "She's an Xebellian princess who was raised by Queen Atlanna."

"And don't get any ideas." A second fish teased Atticus.

"Excuse me?" Atticus replied.

"Nothing." The third fish said as he covered the second fish's mouth so he wouldn't say anything else.

Atticus glanced to them, but shrugged.

"So, son, you seem to be part Atlantean or something." Superman said to his foster son.

"I guess so." Atticus replied.

"We have to introduce to the royal family of Atlantis." The fourth fish smiled at Atticus.

"Um... Of course, guys." Atticus smiled back.

"He talks to fish now?" Green Lantern face-palmed.

The fish began to bring Atticus along with them as they swam to Arthur.

"Whee!" Atticus laughed as that was kind of fun. "Oh, LG, I wish you could experience this too!"

"I'm fine here..." Cherry smiled nervously.

One of the fish soon swam right up to Arthur to get his attention. Arthur soon looked to the fish, a bit oddly.

"You must come with Mera to come with us." The fish told Arthur.

"Why can't things just go back to normal?" Arthur groaned.

"Yeah... I don't see that happening." Green Lantern commented.

The fish seemed to be eager as they were leading the way to Atlantis with Atticus following them.

"Atlantis thirsts for a new perspective," Mera told Arthur. "Someone who understands the surface world, and will lead us into the next century. The Queen needs a beacon, Arthur. Maybe it's you."

Arthur stared into his reflection of the water.

"I'm the sole survivor of my planet," Superman told Arthur. "If I had the chance to save my world, and meet one of my own race, even for a moment, that would be enough."

Atticus knew that was true. Arthur just glanced over in silence.

"Oh, this is so exciting." One of the fish smiled.

Atticus smiled to the fish as he felt excited to finally see Atlantis up close, and where he was going to find more about his past.

Cherry still stayed on the surface.

"Come on!" Atticus told her. "You know how to swim, don't you?"

"...Of course I do," Cherry replied, though she hesitated at first. "What do you think I am, stupid?" 

"No, of course not." Atticus frowned.

"I'm fine... You go on ahead." Cherry told him as she seemed to be hiding her own insecurities by lashing out. 

"You sure?" Atticus asked.

"Yes... Just go, okay?" Cherry replied. 

Atticus frowned before going down into the ocean. Cherry looked to him before sighing softly as she stared into the water.

Batman put his hand on her shoulder, making her gasp slightly. "We're all going." he then told her. 

"B-But..." Cherry stuttered.

"I know you're scared of swimming, but don't worry, we have a way of going down there." Batman told her. 

"Whew." Cherry sighed.

"It'll be all right," Batman said. "You know you could tell Atticus. He trusted you when you found out he was an orphan."

"Yeah... I know..." Cherry sighed. "I guess I should tell him..."

"Come along." Batman told her.

Cherry and the other heroes soon came down into the water in a special way to join Arthur and Mera into Atlantis.


	8. Chapter 8

"Welcome to Atlantis." The fish told Atticus as they came to the palace.

"This is incredible..." Atticus whispered in amazement. "This is just as amazing from my vision."

The fish smiled to Atticus.

"Atlantis... I've finally found you!" Atticus beamed. 

The fish soon began to drag Atticus to where the royal family was. Atticus was surprised from that, but laughed as he swam with them to see the royal Atlantean family at long last, and where he could tell in his heart that the royal family would have some answers. The others soon began to follow after into Atlantis since it was Arthur's birthright. 

"I just know the royal family will be overjoyed." The fish smiled.

Atticus smiled back to the fish as he came to the kingdom.

A woman was shown to be lying in the palace as he came inside with the fish inside of her own tank which was like a grave. 

Atticus frowned as he hoped that wasn't the queen. "Who is this...?" he soon asked.

"Queen Atlanna." The fish replied.

"No..." Atticus frowned. "Then that means I won't get the answers I was looking for...."

"We are so sorry, Atticus." A fish said to the boy. 

'Now how will I get my answers?' Atticus thought to himself.

Arthur soon came with the others, seeing Queen Atlanna who was soon revealed to be his biological mother. Atticus was about to leave since there seemed like no one would have his answers.

"Where are you going?" The fish asked.

"I was so excited... How's this supposed to help me?" Atticus sulked. "The Queen is dead... Now I'll never know what I'm meant to do." 

"Where are you going?" The fish asked.

"I was so excited... How's this supposed to help me?" Atticus sulked. "The Queen is dead... Now I'll never know what I'm meant to do."

"We can show you something that will give the answers." The fish said.

Atticus looked over.

"Come with us..." The fish said. "You can trust us."

"I really hope I can." Atticus replied before going to follow the fish.

The fish began to lead Atticus to a different room. Atticus looked around as he followed the fish as this very mystic and mysterious to be in Atlantis like he had dreamed of for a long time now. The fish soon made it to a wall that had drawings on it.

"Ooh..." Atticus smiled to the wall. "This looks nice."

"Do you know what these drawings are?" The fish asked.

"It looks like a mural." Atticus replied.

"It's a prophecy." The fish told him.

"Ooh... A prophecy..." Atticus replied. "What's it about?" he then asked.

One of the fish soon swam up to him to tell him about the prophecy. Atticus listened as he looked at the pictures like he was listening to a legendary storybook.

Atticus soon saw that one of the murals had him wearing a crown. "Is that me?" he then asked.

"But of course... Prince Atticus." One of the fish replied.

"Um, why is it showing me wearing a crown?" Atticus asked.

"Why not? You're a prince," The fish replied. "Didn't your parents tell you?" 

"...No... They couldn't..." Atticus said softly. "They're... Dead...."

"Oh..." The fish said softly as they didn't know that.

"That man you saw me with is my foster father." Atticus then added.

"We're sorry, we didn't know." The fish frowned.

"It's all right," Atticus replied. "I just wish I could've met them... They died when I was a baby," He soon remembered the spell Sombra had told him about. "Hmm..." he then paused for a moment as he memorized the spell, but he then remembered that he had to find the spell first.

"Well, there is a spell that can turn back time, but it's too dangerous to use." The fish warned him.

"I have to do it!" Atticus replied.

"If that's what you really want then we'll lead to where the spell is hid." The fish said.

"Please, that's all I ask." Atticus said to the fish.

"Alright." The fish sighed before they swam to a statue.

Atticus swam after the fish before looking up in wide wonder of the statue. The fish soon pushed the spear the statue held to the left.

"Am I supposed to get that spear?" Atticus asked the fish just to make sure.

"Yes, it's the key to the secret passage to the spell." The fish told him.

Atticus soon took the spear with a small smile before smirking. "I am the bravest warrior!" he then chuckled to himself.

The statue was soon heard moving to the side. Atticus looked over and swam closer as it seemed like he was finally going to have his questions answered, and where he saw a secret passage for him to go through. The fish gestured for him to go that way. Atticus nodded as he soon did just that, and where as he was going down the passage one of the Atlantean's saw the secret passage was opened and where the fish were scared as they saw who it was.

Atticus smiled to the fish, but frowned once he saw that they were scared. "What's wrong?" He soon had an idea of why as he decided to look at who was scaring the fish.

"Well, hello there," The Atlantean greeted Atticus. "You must be new around here."

"Yeah, and I can see that you are scaring these fish for no reason," Atticus glared at him. "Prince Orm."

"Ah... You've heard of me..." Prince Orm replied.

"You could say that," Atticus said. "I'm just glad you're not going to be crowned king."

"Oh, you're just like the others," Prince Orm glared. "You're with my half-brother, aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, but right now, I'm on my way to get something that will have the answers I need." Atticus told him.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that!" Prince Orm glared. "I can't trust you here."

"Well, sorry, but I can't let you stop me." Atticus told him just as one of the fish pressed on a symbol on the wall which caused the statue to move back into place, blocking the entrance to the secret passage so then Prince Orm wouldn't stop Atticus.

"Why, you little--!" Prince Orm glared.

The fish simply began to attack him even if they were afraid of him as they knew he would try to go after Atticus by pushing the same symbol.

"Get off of me!" Prince Orm demanded.

"Never!" The fish declined as they kept attacking.

Atticus gave a small smile to the fish as he continued right where he left off before Prince Orm stopped him. And where he was going to make sure that nothing stood in his way of getting the spell.

'That's right... Keep going... Stay determined...' Sombra's voice told Atticus in his head. 

"I won't let anything stand in my way." Atticus said as he kept going down the secret passage.

A couple of seahorses were shown by the passage, and looked over to him. 

"I'm here for the spell that can turn back time." Atticus told them.

"A spell to turn back time?" A seahorse asked. "I thought you needed permission from The Supernatural Council to do that."

"I wouldn't know, but I promise not to hurt you." Atticus replied before shrugging about this so-called Supernatural Council. 

"State your name first." The second seahorse said.

"My name is Atticus." Atticus replied with a small bow, the best he could since he didn't have his legs right then. 

The seahorses began to try and think if they knew anyone by that name.

"I was told you might know my Aunt Athena?" Atticus replied.

The seahorses gasped to the name Athena and soon bowed to him. 

"You must be her long-lost nephew then." The first seahorse said.

"I suppose I am," Atticus replied. "May I go through?"

The seahorses soon looked to each other and parted away to let him go through. Atticus soon swam past them once they parted away. The seahorses then went back to where they once were. Atticus swam around before finding a podium as a spotlight shined down on it and there was shown a book that seemed to shine in his eyes as he came closer and closer toward it, and where he saw one if the pages sticking out, telling him that one of the pages wasn't apart of the book which would be the spell he was looking for.

"Gotcha." Atticus hid a small smirk. He soon opened the book and quickly snatched the page.

A light seemed to shine down on him before many other lights shined down. Atticus found himself frozen as he looked up to see that he had company.

"Who do we have here?" A dark figure asked Atticus. "I can't say I've seen you in Atlantis before."

"Um, my name is Atticus Fudo, the, um, long-lost nephew of Queen Athena?" Atticus smiled nervously.

"Hmm... Is that right...?" The figure replied.

"And you would be?" Atticus smiled nervously.

"Black Manta." The figure told him.

"Why are you here?" Atticus asked as he hid the spell behind him.

"I could ask you the same question, Little Merboy." Black Manta replied.

"Well, since the queen is dead, I thought that this room might have the answers I'm looking for." Atticus said.

"Hmm... You are a very interesting character." Black Manta commented. 

"More interesting than you know." Atticus replied.

Black Manta soon noticed Atticus was hiding something behind his back. "What are you hiding?" he then asked.

"Oh... Nothing?" Atticus hummed innocently. He could see Black Manta didn't believe that. He then tried to swim off only for Black Manta to grab his tail fin. "Hey! Let go of my tail fin!" Atticus glared.

"What are you really up to?" Black Manta asked.

"Stop it!" Atticus glared. "Didn't you hear me?! I'm Queen Athena's nephew!"

"I see that." Black Manta replied.

"Alright, then let me go!" Atticus told him.

"No, I don't think I will, now hand that spell over to me, you don't know what it's capable of!" Black Manta glared.

"I know that it can turn back time and I need it!" Atticus glared back. "So then I can stop my parents' death!"

"Things happen for a reason, little merboy..." Black Manta sneered.

"I don't care!" Atticus replied. "I don't see how this can possibly backfire!"

A dark magic blast soon hit Black Manta to make him let go. Atticus yelped as he fell slightly, but soon regained his balance as he held the spell close to his chest.

"What was that?" Black Manta asked.

"I dunno, but I guess it doesn't like you bothering me?" Atticus smirked.

"Indeed I don't." Sombra's voice said.

"Gasp! Uncle Sombra!" Atticus replied.

"You were always the smart one." Sombra chuckled.

"You!" Black Manta smirked.

"Quick, use the spell now." Sombra told him.

Atticus looked over and then cleared his throat as he began to read the spell aloud to make his longing wishes finally come true about his missing parents who were long dead by now. After he cast the spell, the world seemed to shake and glow as Atticus was sent back in time.

As he was being sent back in time, the entrance to the secret passage way had been destroyed and where the Justice League came through in their diving suits.

"What just happened?" Cherry asked the others.

"I'm afraid your friend has used the time spell." Mera told her.

"Time spell...?" Cherry asked.

"He's turning back time..." Mera replied. "I feel I should've seen this coming."

"What time spell are you talking about?" Superman asked Mera.

"There is an ancient magical spell that allows the holder to go back time and rewrite something of their choosing that happened in the past, but it would also change the future dramatically." Mera replied.

"But how did he find out about the spell?" Green Lantern asked.

"I believe I have your answer." Black Manta smirked.

"Black Manta." Mera glared.

"I don't know who you are, but I don't trust you." Cherry glared towards Black Manta.

"Oh, but I know who gave him the information on the time spell." Black Manta smirked.

"Care to share with the rest of us then?" Mera glared.

"It was King Sombra." Black Manta smirked.

"Okay, how many people knows Sombra?" Cherry asked.

"I've only heard of him, but I thought that he was a myth." Mera gulped slightly.

"He's all too real." Black Manta said.

"But why would he tell Atticus about the spell?" Cherry asked.

"Apparently he wants to meet his parents." Black Manta replied.

"Knowing how evil Sombra is, he probably knows something that Atticus doesn't and will be wanting him to change his past at the cost of something." Cherry said.

"You always were a little smart ass, weren't you?" Sombra's voice asked behind her.

"Dah!" Cherry yelped as that actually scared her.

"We have to stop him." Mera said as she picked up the spell as it hadn't been transported back in time with Atticus.

"Everything was perfect... Until YOU came along!" Sombra mocked Cherry.

Cherry chose to ignore him this time as Mera started to recite the spell, and where it soon began to take her and the others except for Black Manta back into the time where Atticus was sent. Cherry blinked and looked around as they were soon somewhere else.


	9. Chapter 9

We are shown a countryside with a quiet looking house that was shown in the mountains.

"This looks like something out of Little House on the Prairie." Cherry commented.

They soon saw Atticus looking in through the window of the house. It seemed to be a peaceful evening so far.

"Oh, Patrick, he's such a beautiful baby boy." Emily smiled to her husband.

"He sure is, Emily." Patrick smiled back.

Atticus couldn't help but stare at his parents since he hadn't really seen them before as they soon put him in his crib to let him get some sleep. Emily and Patrick began to hum a song to their baby son to help him sleep. Baby Atticus smiled to his parents until his eyes felt heavy and he began to fall asleep in his crib. Unknown to anyone, that song would be the key to the magic Atticus had inside him which would be more powerful then Sombra.

Atticus stared in through the window as his parents let his baby self sleep. Cherry soon began to run towards Atticus to stop him. Atticus soon took a deep breath and made his way in.

"Atticus! Stop!" Cherry gasped and panted while running.

Once he heard Cherry's voice, Atticus looked to see not only Cherry was there, but also the others. Cherry panted and looked over.

"Cherry... What're you doing here?" Atticus asked.

"Stopping... You..." Cherry panted. "Phew... Gimme a sec."

"We're here to stop you from changing history." Mera told Atticus.

"But I wanna see my parents!" Atticus told them.

"Atticus, don't you watch movies?" Cherry asked. "If you change the past, it could cause a major paradox in our timeline!"

Atticus frowned as he nearly forgot that.

"Come on, let's go." Cherry told him.

"...I have to risk it," Atticus replied. "Cherry, don't you want me to be happy and have a family like you?"

"Well, yes, but...." Cherry frowned.

"Sombra, what are you doing here?" Patrick's voice interrupted.

"I'm just checking in." Sombra's voice replied.

Atticus and the others soon looked in through the window.

"That's nice," Emily said. "But we can already tell in your eyes that you're here for something."

"Or someone." Sombra smirked.

"Pardon?" Patrick and Emily replied.

"I believe you've heard me." Sombra said as he took a look to the sleeping baby.

"Wait, did he just say he was going to take me?" Atticus whispered to the others.

"I... I guess so..." Cherry replied.

Sombra soon came into the crib and picked up Baby Atticus.

"Sombra, what are you doing?!" Patrick demanded.

"I told you that I needed an heir." Sombra smirked.

"But... Now?" Emily asked. "It's so soon!"

"I didn't say when, but the deal was set, so if you don't mind, I'll just take my nephew and leave." Sombra said, but as he was about to leave with the baby a spark of magic zapped him, keeping him from taking the baby boy away.

Patrick and Emily rushed over.

"What is this?!" Sombra glared before looking over. "You two are trying to hex me, aren't you?!"

"No, it's our magic of love." Emily told him.

"We had a deal, Fudos!" Sombra glared.

"Yes, but we thought you would have him as your heir to your throne when he would be older like as a teenager." Patrick told him.

"Early bird gets the worm." Sombra smirked.

"NO!" Emily shrieked. "Put down my baby!"

Patrick soon used his magic and where their baby boy was teleported to them. Baby Atticus soon began to cry from what was going on before he felt safe with his parents and quietly cooed.

"I will have that child!" Sombra glared as he was about to use his magic when music began to play.

Emily held Baby Atticus close. Baby Atticus seemed to snuffle before looking up to his mother with a quiet whimper.

'Where is that music coming from?' Cherry thought to herself.

"There's a powerful magic, Where two hearts are one, A powerful magic bright as the sun~" Patrick and Emily soon sang to the evil being. "Goodness will triumph and evil's undone, When you dare to heed love's call, 'Cuz love is the most, Powerful magic of all~"

'Are they singing?' Cherry thought to herself.

"Down with love, down with hope, Don't need blind faith to cope~" King Sombra sang to the fudo couple as he made his way to Atticus. "Or inspiring songs in my heart, Got the magic I need, For my darkest of deeds, Love at times can entrance, But love doesn't stand a chance, No, no, Love doesn't stand a...~"

"I can say anything I want now." Cherry muttered.

"Shh." Batman told her.

"It's a powerful magic, When two voices soar~" Patrick and Emily sang as they protected their only son. "I'm ever more hopeful, For what lies in store~"

"Once I loved and once I learned, Love is weakness, Love will leave you burned~" King Sombra sang as he tried to use his magic to take Atticus from his parents.

"Nothing will stop us, no, not anymore, With our son's fate at stake~" Patrick and Emily retorted as they did their best to protect their son.

"Happy endings you see~" King Sombra retorted as he kept trying to use his magic to take Atticus.

"Seems we found our lucky break~" Patrick and Emily replied.

"That happy ending will end with me~" Sombra grinned darkly.

"Now let our song show the powerful magic~" Patrick Emily replied.

"Love doesn't stand a chance~" Sombra grinned darkly.

"Show the powerful magic, We can make~" Patrick and Emily frowned for poor Atticus.

"Got you where I want you now, Your spell will soon be broken~," Sombra grinned as it seemed like he was winning. "Let us see how strong you are, When everything you love is taken~" He soon aimed and shot magic at the ceiling, setting it on fire.

Emily shrieked from the fire as it seemed to scare her. 

"If I can't have him, then he'll die in flames with the two of you." Sombra smirked as he teleported out.

"NO!" Patrick and Emily cried out.

Atticus looked in horror before looking to Cherry. "Now my parents are gonna die again!" he then told her. "Are you happy?!" 

"Watch." An angelic voice told him.

"Huh?" Atticus blinked. "Who said that?"

"Look, Atticus, things happen for a reason," Cherry said. "I'm sorry your parents died, but we can't change that." 

They soon saw Atticus's parents pray that their baby son would be sent to somewhere safe even if they wouldn't survive. Atticus seemed to be sent away safely, much like when Baby Moses was born and was adopted by the Egyptians. 

"Whoa." The others said.

Patrick and Emily looked to each other and hugged each other while crying as this looked like the end for right now as Atticus was sent away for his own safety and protection. They just hoped that he would outlive them if anything were to happen. Atticus frowned as he was about to save them, but he now realized that if he did that then Sombra would get what was after which would be the history being changed.

"Atticus, I'm sorry." Cherry told her best friend. 

"It's okay, at least I now know how the fire really started." Atticus replied.

Cherry looked to him and she soon started out giving him a hug since he usually was the one who started the hugs. A short time later, the spell soon sent them back to where they were before.

"Cherry, I'm so sorry!" Atticus cried. "I was selfish, wasn't I?"

"No... No, you weren't." Cherry told him. 

"So, you failed." Sombra's voice sighed.

"It's Sombra..." Atticus replied. 

They soon saw Sombra appear and before they could do anything, he froze the Justice League and the others except for Atticus and somehow missed Cherry.

"Ch-Cherry, what's going on?!" Atticus gasped.

"I don't know!" Cherry replied. 

"I've froze them so then they don't get in the way and as for your friend, I won't freeze her with my magic this time," Sombra said. "Now just use the spell again and this time, alter your past."

"NO!" Atticus told him.

"What did you say?" Sombra asked. 

"I know how the fire really started, and I know how I ended up at the orphanage." Atticus told him.

"Ah... You are a smart one..." Sombra replied.

"Leave my friend alone, ya jerk!" Cherry glared. 

"Why don't you leave?" Sombra asked Cherry.

"Leave Atticus alone," Cherry glared. "Now."

"You always got in the way!" Sombra glared back as he lifted her up with his magic. 

"Leave her alone!" Atticus told him as a crystal came between Chery and Sombra.

Out of nowhere, a picture of Patrick and Emily with Atticus as a baby appeared and where it also had a glowing light that was around him as they hummed and which told her one thing.

"No way..." Cherry whispered out of amazement as she now knew what to do next.

"Leave Cherry out of this, it's me you want." Atticus told Sombra. 

"Then join me." Sombra smirked.

"If I join you... Will you let Cherry go?" Atticus asked. 

"Yes." Sombra smirked.

"I'm sorry, Cherry..." Atticus said. 

"What for?" Cherry replied.

Atticus soon came to join Sombra's side.

"No, wait, Atticus, you don't have to join his side!" Cherry told him.

"What else can I do, Cherry?" Atticus asked. "At least you won't get hurt." 

Cherry soon came over to Atticus and where she showed him the picture. Atticus looked over and soon took the picture from his best friend. 

"Atticus, the answer you've been searching for has been inside you all along and your magic was made from your parents' love, you can defeat him," Cherry said. "And I know that you feel like you're alone, but you've never been alone because your parents have always been with you because of the song."

"Don't listen to her!" Sombra told Atticus. "She's just jealous!"

Unfortunately for Sombra, Atticus did listen to Cherry and where he could heard his parents humming the song.

"You believe me, right, Atticus?" Cherry asked.

"...Cherry, you're my family..." Atticus said. "You're the sister I've never had." 

Cherry smiled as she felt touched.

"I'm sorry, Sombra, but I'm on Cherry's side." Atticus glared firmly. 

"I'll have to turn you evil by force then." Sombra glared back.

"NO!" Cherry cried out.

"Stay out of this, emo!" Sombra glared as he shoved her aside like she was worthless. 

Atticus glared before he stayed focus as he wasn't going to let Sombra win. Sombra glared back as he charged up his own magic to change Atticus by force. 

'You know what to do, Atticus.' Cherry thought to herself.

Atticus soon took a deep breath as he prepared himself. "Once I lived in darkness, Out there on my own, Left to brave the world alone~," he then began to sing. "Everything seemed hopeless, No chance to break free, Couldn't hear the song inside of me~" 

Sombra shot his magic at Atticus only for it to not have any affect on him.

"Once upon a time, A song inspired them: be brave, They gave me up because my fate~" Atticus continued to sing while trying to stay brave and determined. "Was as the one who'd save, The world from your dark magic, And the wicked things you do, They placed a song inside my heart, More powerful than you~" 

A wave of magic was soon sent out, unfreezing the Justice League, and the others slightly.

"Keep going, Atticus, you can do it!" Cherry cheered.

Atticus looked over and smiled as Cherry looked happy for once and soon continued to sing from the bottom of his heart. "All the years of running, No, not anymore, I know what I'm living for, I'm no longer searching, Turns out all along, The answer was inside me, With a song~" he soon sang as he seemed to be getting stronger than his uncle. 

The wave of magic was soon like a tidal wave as it over powered Sombra and unfroze the Justice League and the others completely.

"You guys okay...?" Atticus asked.

"Atticus... Thank you." Superman smiled to his adoptive son. 

Atticus smiled back before they all saw Sombra glaring.

"You should have done this the easy way because there's a war coming the Atlanteans against the surface world and I will enjoy every moment of it." Sombra told them before vanishing.

"Gulp... War?!" Atticus replied with wide eyes. 

"That's bad," Cherry said. "Really, really bad."

"Oh... Cherry, I'm sorry..." Atticus frowned. "This is my fault..." 

"No, I'm afraid I know who is behind the attack onto the surface world." Mera frowned.

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening~..." Cherry plugged her ears. 

"Prince Orm." Mera sighed.

"Daaugh!" Cherry cried out. 

"Before anything else, where's Black Manta?" Atticus asked.

"I'm not going to find out." Cherry said.

"Cherry...?" Batman called.

"What?" Cherry replied. "I don't want to find out..."

"Cherry, you believed in me, and now I believe in you," Atticus said as he put his hands on her shoulders. "You can help us stop Black Manta before something terrible happens. I know you can." 

"Alright." Cherry sighed.

"It's going to be okay." Atticus smiled to her. 

"If you say so." Cherry shrugged.

"Have faith." Atticus smiled.

"Why do you always gotta be so positive?" Cherry muttered to him. 

"One of us has to." Atticus smiled.

"Hm... I guess so." Cherry hid a small playful smirk.

"So then let's start searching." Atticus said.

"All right... I guess I can do this." Cherry sighed softly.

"You sure can." Atticus smiled.

"Hmm..." Cherry replied, not too sure, but she had to admit that it was nice that Atticus believed in her.


	10. Chapter 10

And so, they started the search.

"We're Number One~" Cherry and Atticus sang together for no reason.

They soon saw the others looked confused with why they sang for no reason. Cherry and Atticus seemed to have their own little song going on as they went to do what they could to make things right, not just for the Justice League, but for the future of Atlantis since Prince Orm didn't seem to be such a nice guy, and where the fish Atticus met before had proved that. 

"We're Number One!" Cherry and Atticus sang together as they ran along together.

"At least they're friends again." Superman smiled to Batman.

"Yeah, that's true." Batman said.

Prince Orm was soon seen getting ready with his own armor and looked over to see Arthur and the others before smirking. "Welcome, bastard... Is Atlantis everything you dreamed of... Or in your dream, was it you on the throne?" he then mocked the blonde man.

'This guy is really starting to get on my nerves.' Atticus to himself.

"You killed her!" Mera glared until Arthur held her back protectively.

"I did," Prince Orm replied. "I ran the sword through her myself as she mewled for peace. You can count yourself fortunate, bastard. At least our mother won't be impediment to your life that she was to mine."

Atticus looked like he was going to kill Prince Orm only to be restrained by Superman.

"I'll tear you apart!" Arthur glared to the prince as Mera tried to hold him back, but it was no use, and this got him shot by his half-brother.

"How can you be so heartless?" Cherry glared at Prince Orm.

"I'm not heartless, it's just the truth." Prince Orm replied darkly.

"You killed your own mother!" Atticus told him. "That counts as heartless!"

"Attack!" Wonder Woman soon proclaimed to the other Justice League heroes with her.

"No objection here." Cherry agreed with Wonder Woman.

And so, began the attack. Prince Orm glared and soon fought back by shocking the Justice League members with the trident in his hands. Atticus soon made a crystal spike appear to try and use it like a lightning rod against the trident.

"Ah, so we meet... The favorite nephew of Queen Athena." Prince Orm greeted. 

"Cherry, you get back with the others, I'll hold him off." Atticus told his best friend.

"You can take him." Cherry replied.

"You stay safe." Atticus told her before glaring towards Prince Orm with strong determination.

"I sure will." Cherry said.

Atticus nodded to her.

"You dare challenge me, orphan?" Prince Orm glared to Atticus.

"You bet I am." Atticus glared back.

"Look at you... Trying to look brave and strong like your Uncle Triton." Prince Orm mocked.

Atticus didn't let the mocking get to him as he fought Prince Orm. Prince Orm and Atticus got into a fight with each other, almost like a sword-fight from their weapons of choice.

"You can beat him, Atticus!" Cherry cheered as she and the others got away.

"I gotta beat him, I just gotta!" Atticus replied.

"We shall see about that." Prince Orm glared.

"Yes, we shall." Atticus glared back before charging with his weapon.

Prince Orm glared back as he charged at Atticus with his weapon. Atticus glared as he fought back when he could, not letting fear or injury get in his way, and where for him, injuries wouldn't ever happen. Atticus took a quick break, but looked over to the others and looked relieved that they were safe where they were as he decided this would be between him and Prince Orm. Prince Orm glared as he was going to make sure Atticus wouldn't stand in his way.

"I'm not letting you hurt anyone ever again." Atticus told Prince Orm.

"We shall see about that, halfling." Prince Orm glared.

"At least I have a good heart!" Atticus glared back before swimming quickly behind Prince Orm and literally stabbed him in the back when he had the chance.

And where this showed Prince Orm that he had quite a challenge. Atticus smirked to that.

"Oh, you think you're so smart." Prince Orm glared.

"That makes one of us apparently." Atticus smirked.

The two of them continued to fight until their would be one winner. Atticus eventually panted after a while.

"Give up?" Prince Orm asked him.

"Never." Atticus glared.

"We're going to be here until the end of time, runt!" Prince Orm glared back.

"That's what you think." Atticus glared back.

"Then so be it!" Prince Orm glared. "You are as stubborn as your Uncle Triton."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Atticus glared back.

Prince Orm growled to that before lunging out for Atticus and succeeded in tackling him right then, only to see that Atticus hadn't been tackled down as he felt like he had tackled into a steel wall.

"Give up!" Atticus demanded. "It would be so much easier for you if you did!"

Prince Orm continued to try to take down Atticus, but nothing he seemed to use or do seemed to work. Atticus soon yawned as this wasn't much of a challenge.

"I'm so proud of him." Superman smiled.

"Kinda reminds me of when he kicked your butt when we first met." Green Lantern smirked at the Man of Steel.

"Very funny." Superman rolled his eyes to that.

"And I can't believe how many views it got when I posted it." Green Lantern smirked.

"You what?!" Superman asked.

"I couldn't resist." Green Lantern smirked.

Prince Orm soon passed out from exhaustion.

"I win." Atticus smiled to himself.

"Ah, guys? Is it just me or do I see a Dalmatian drowning?" Flash asked as he noticed a familiar puppy outside of the kingdom of Atlantis.

"Dalmatian?!" Atticus gasped and soon dashed off to save the puppy before he soon saw that it was none other than Patch.

Patch looked over to Atticus before he seemed to black out, but luckily, he wasn't dead.

"Oh, poor puppy." Atticus frowned as he began to save Patch from a watery grave.

"He really cares about that pup." Cherry said.

"Yes, it seems that he does." Batman said.

"Guys, I gotta get to the surface." Atticus told the others as he held Patch.

"We understand." Cherry said.

Atticus nodded and soon left with Patch.

Eventually, Atticus was back to normal as he was on land and helping Patch revive so he wouldn't die of drowning, and where he was able to successfully revive him. Patch soon coughed up water and looked up wearily to Atticus once he regained consciousness.

"Thank goodness." Atticus sighed.

"Atticus... Is that you?" Patch asked.

"Yes, Patch, it's me," Atticus said. "I just saved your life."

"Wow." Patch smiled.

"You okay?" Atticus smiled back.

"Yes... Thank you!" Patch beamed before licking Atticus's face.

"Okay, okay, I'm happy that you're okay!" Atticus laughed. "But what were you thinking going out into the ocean?" he then asked. "You could have died from drowning."

"I'm sorry, Atticus, I just wanted to help you." Patch pouted.

"Ohh." Atticus smiled.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you." Patch bowed his head.

"I was just worried when you were drowning." Atticus told him.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Patch asked him.

"Of course not." Atticus told him.

Patch gave a small smile to that.

"Good dog." Atticus smiled back as he pet the Dalmatian.

Patch smiled back as he enjoyed being petted. Atticus and Patch smiled as they seemed to become good friends, but soon Atticus sighed.

"You okay?" Patch asked.

"I just want this to be over so we can all go home." Atticus told him.

"I'm sure it will be over soon." Patch said.

"Thanks, Patch," Atticus smiled. "I've always wanted a pet."

Patch smiled back as he had a feeling he would become Atticus's pet.


	11. Chapter 11

After a while, Superman soon came to find Atticus and Patch as they were bonding like a boy and his dog, and where Superman just knew that those two were meant to be together.

Atticus laughed as he and Patch had a lot of fun until he ran into Superman. "Hey, Dad!"

"Having fun?" Superman smiled.

"I sure am." Atticus smiled back before getting playfully tackled by Patch.

Patch laughed with Atticus as they had some fun.

"There's no better bond than a boy and his dog," Superman smiled. "Say, Atticus, how'd you like to have a dog for your birthday?"

"I would love it." Atticus smiled back.

"Sounds good to me," Superman smiled. "All right, Atticus, that puppy is now your pet."

"Really?" Atticus smiled back.

"Of course," Superman said before sighing. "I wish there was someway for Patch to come underwater though. There's something special going on, but I wanted to come and check on you."

"What about Prince Orm?" Atticus asked.

"Defeated, thanks to you." Superman informed.

"That's good," Atticus said. "And I think I have a way for Patch to go underwater without drowning."

"Really?" Patch asked curiously. 

Atticus soon used his crystal powers and where a diving suit appeared on Patch.

"Whoa..." Patch whispered.

"A perfect fit!" Atticus smiled to his new pet. 

"How did you do that?" Superman asked him.

"Uh... Magic, I guess." Atticus replied. 

"It kind of felt a little crystally when this appeared on my body." Patch said.

"Come along then," Superman said. "I really think you should both see this."

Atticus and Patch then came to follow Superman back down to Atlantis as it seemed like a ceremony was being held.

"Whoa." Patch smiled.

"I'll say." Atticus agreed.

"I told you it was a big deal," Superman smiled to him. "I asked them to wait until I'd get you. I didn't want you to miss this."

"About time." Flash said.

"Hey, I had an emergency." Atticus smirked.

"Uh-huh." Cherry smirked back.

Atticus stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same, lowering her eyelids which made them both laugh a little.

Atticus soon looked over to see the people of Atlantis were soon bowing to Arthur after he won the battle of good and evil for his home that he now found out was home for him all along. "Ohh, so that's what the celebration is for." He smiled.

"Yep." Superman smiled back.

Patch smiled as he was able to witness the celebration. Arthur smiled before sharing a kiss with Mera as peace was restored to Atlantis.

"Knew those two were meant to be." One of the fish smiled.

Atticus chuckled to the fish in agreement.

"I think Arthur might fit in with the Justice League now." Cherry said to Batman.

"We'll see." Batman replied.

Later in Atlantis, Arthur was honored by everybody as he became their new hero and was even going to start a new life as a hero, and where he was going to become a new member for the Justice League.

"He looks happy." Superman smiled.

"He has found his place." Wonder Woman smiled back.

Patch smiled as he knew where he his place was.

"He's gonna need a new name though." Cherry commented.

"Agreed." Atticus said.

"So, you think Wonder Woman might become your new mommy?" Cherry smirked.

Atticus didn't seem to be affected by that smirk as he would hope for that someday.

"We're standing in the middle of Atlantis!" Shazam said to the others. "I'm totally geeking out."

"Man, we have a weird job." Green Lantern commented to Flash.

Cherry agreed with that. Arthur soon knelt before he was awarded the trident of Atlantis. Everyone cheered and applauded as he stood up before the crowd with the trident in his possession.

"We need to consider solidifying this team." Batman stated.

"Yes." Cherry nodded to that.

"Like weekly meetings?" Captain Marvel asked. 

"Yay! We're a book club now." Green Lantern muttered.

"Batman's right," Cyborg then said. "New threats are springing up daily."

"Agreed," Wonder Woman added. "Someone should be watching."

Patch nodded in agreement.

"It's funny you say that," Cyborg said. "I have been working on plans for a watchtower."

"You can count on my help," Flash replied before looking over. "Hal?"

"Yeah, alright," Green Lantern replied, crossing his arms. "I don't wanna miss whatever weird crapola comes next."

Patch began to look like he wanted to be included.

"We should invite Arthur." Superman said.

"Ahem!" Atticus cleared his throat.

"Oh, and Patch too, of course." Superman smiled.

Patch beamed as he was going to be a part of a superhero team.

"I'm in." Arthur smiled as they invited him to be in the Justice League.

"But what do we call him?" Cherry wondered.

"Well, online they're calling him 'Aquaman'." Shazam commented.

"I hate that." Arthur glared.

"Aquaman it is." Green Lantern smirked.

"It would make sense with how you can breathe underwater." Cherry told Arthur.

"You won't be too busy as King?" Wonder Woman asked. "I have seen the pressures of a crown."

"I'll make it work," Arthur reassured. "I should keep a foothold in both worlds. Besides, it'll help repair relations if I'm seen helping out."

Patch nodded as that sounded good.

"Well said," Wonder Woman smiled to the newest member of the Justice League. "You are a gifted leader indeed."

"My Liege, trenchers have been spotted at the edge of the city." Mera informed as she swam towards him.

"Finally, I've been itching for some action," Arthur smiled before looking back to the others. "Hey, let me know when the next meeting is. I gotta do some 'King of the Sea' stuff!" he then swam off with Mera.

"We'll inform you!" Atticus told him.

Eventually, they left Atlantis and went to go back home. It wasn't just a new ending, but it was a brand new beginning for everybody.


	12. Chapter 12

Atticus carried Patch in his arms as he soon went home with Clark. "Patch, welcome to your new home." he then smiled to the puppy.

"This is so amazing." Patch smiled before feeling himself becoming super powerful all of a sudden.

Atticus smiled back as they came inside.

"I just know this is going to be a great time for everyone." Clark told Atticus as Patch got settled in before changing.

"It sure is." Patch smiled as he jumped in the air before playfully tackling Clark.

Atticus looked surprised, but then smiled to that.

"Hey!" Clark laughed.

"Hey, I just took down Superman!" Patch smiled before looking confused. "But how?" He then wondered.

"Hmm... That's a good question," Atticus said. "I guess you had a growth spurt in your muscles."

"Yeah, but all of sudden?" Patch asked.

Atticus gave an innocent shrug.

"Mind getting off me now?" Clark asked Patch with a chuckle.

"Aww... Okay..." Patch replied as he got off. "I'm a little hungry anyway."

"Yeah, me too," Atticus said. "Adventures always work up my appetite."

"Alright, then I'll get the food ready." Clark said.

"Sounds good," Atticus smiled. "Patch, you wanna play outside, or maybe watch TV while we wait?"

"Watch TV, I think Thunderbolt is on." Patch smiled back.

"All right!" Atticus smiled as he took Patch to the living room and turned on the TV for them both to watch.

Soon enough, Patch's favorite TV show was shown to be on so they decided to watch it together. Atticus smiled as he hugged Patch as they settled in and watched TV together as Clark made them something to eat. After a short time, Clark finished making the food.

"What's for dinner, Dad?" Atticus smiled.

"One of your favorites." Clark smiled back.

"Pizza?" Atticus smiled back.

"Of course!" Clark smiled.

Atticus smiled back as this was a great birthday after all and he had fun with his pet as he was going to be the good boy he had always been from then on with Clark as his adoptive father.

The End


End file.
